She calls it the “superhero pose.”
It looks almost ridiculous. And it works.
Not because it magically deletes fear.
But because it changes her relationship to it.
"I’m being a superhero. There’s a scientific study that shows that if you stand like this in superhero pose for just five minutes before a job interview or a big presentation or a really hard task, you will not only feel more confident, you will perform measurably better."
Let’s talk about why.
Your Head Gremlins Aren’t the Enemy...
Even Though it Feels Like They ARE.
You know the voices.
“You’re not ready.”
“They’re going to see through you.”
“Don’t mess this up.”
“Who do you think you are?”
Sometimes referred to as your inner critic, I see my more as gremlins, with a distinctive lack of a copy of Snow White. Somehow, it's easier not to consider these voices your own, but some other entity. That, for me, made it survivable. Many people treat these thoughts like invaders - anarchistic little agents of chaos sabotaging every bold move. They believe them. They quit. They shrink away from doing the thing because that's what the inner critics are telling them is SAFE.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: They’re not trying to ruin you. They’re trying to protect you.
They are just chaotic, clumsy little buggers with limited vocab and that message is sometimes... not what you end up HEARING.
Your brain evolved to scan for threat. Social rejection? Threat. Public failure? Threat. Uncertainty? Threat. So your “head gremlins” fire up alarms before the presentation, the interview, the conversation, the leap. They’re not villains. They’re overprotective security guards with the emotional range of angry toddlers 40 minutes overdue for a nap.
The Science Behind the Pose
In 2010, Amy Cuddy published research suggesting that expansive “power poses” (hands on hips, chest open, feet planted) could increase feelings of power and reduce stress. The original study even reported hormonal shifts — higher testosterone, lower cortisol. That part became controversial. Follow-up studies struggled to replicate the hormone changes, and Cuddy’s work became part of the larger replication debate in psychology. We're not here to discuss the finer points of those studies.
Here’s what held up:
People consistently felt more powerful after holding expansive postures.
And that matters.
When you stand tall:
Your breathing deepens.
Your chest opens.
Your nervous system shifts out of collapse protocols and makes room for hope and peace and calm.
Your brain receives feedback: “We are not under attack.”
You are signalling safety to yourself.
That’s powerful stuff. And YOU can use it.
Amelia’s Real Move
The genius of that Grey’s Anatomy scene isn’t the pose itself. It’s what it represents. Amelia doesn’t wait to feel confident before acting confident. She acts first. She hears her head gremlins and she says,
"Nah, I've got a better plan. I'm in charge."
Your gremlins will always have something to say before you step onto a bigger stage. That’s their job. They scan risk. They exaggerate downside. They imagine humiliation in high definition. Your nervous system isn't getting the whole picture, it isn't looped in on the memos from "objectivity" or "facts". It can't see what you see, it's getting part of the messaging of the situation you're in and panicking accordingly. But here’s the shift:
Instead of arguing with them or shrinking, override their posture. Your nervous system only understands your shape and every cell that you're made from. Use this to communicate to it.
Stand tall anyway. Breathe anyway. Walk forward anyway.
You don’t need to silence the gremlins. They're important. They're what make you who you are...
You just need to retrain them. Guide them. Wrangle them.
When Gremlins Become Guardians
Here’s the part most people miss:
They are your instruction manual for how to navigate your base fears and come out stronger. They're telling you what your body knows. What you need. How to become the best version of who you are.
But they only calm down when they believe you’re capable.
And posture is one of the fastest ways to communicate that capability — to yourself.
Try This Before Your Next Big Moment
Stand up.
Feet shoulder-width apart.
Hands on hips or stretched overhead.
Chin level.
Deep, slow breath.
Hold for 60–120 seconds.
Not to fake confidence.
To prime your nervous system for courage. To tell it that courage is needed for this. All the strength you have, that you KNOW you have, needs to get onboard.
The Real Superpower
The superhero pose doesn’t turn you into someone else. It reminds your nervous system who’s actually in charge.
Your gremlins aren’t anarchists. They’re anxious protectors. When you shrink, they panic. When you stand tall, they recalibrate, gather their beautiful, chaotic, wonderful energy, and stand WITH you.
Confidence isn’t eliminating fear. It’s leading fear.
So next time the voices get loud, don’t negotiate. Stand up. Plant your feet. Lift your chin.
And let your inner chaos agents realize they’re working for a superhero.
Need a soundtrack?
