Twelve years ago, I stumbled across a TED Talk that cracked something wide open in me. Amy Cuddy’s “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” wasn’t just interesting — it was a revolution in how I understood women, power, and self-belief. And it’s been woven into the DNA of Liberty ever since.
Her message was simple but groundbreaking: your body shapes your mind, and your mind shapes your life. Not just the other way around. Hold a pen between your teeth for two minutes and your body releases the same hormones it would if you were happy. Your body tricks your brain into joy. And the reverse is also true — when you collapse into yourself, shrink, or hide, your body is whispering to your mind: “You’re not safe. Don’t take up space. Don’t be seen.”
For women, that’s devastating. Shrinking becomes a cycle. We play small to feel safe, we perform instead of show up, and then our own bodies reinforce the message: don’t risk, don’t rise, don’t try. But here’s the magic — when you flip the script.
Power poses aren’t just cheesy gimmicks. They’re signals to your brain that say: I am safe. I am powerful. I can expand. A few classics to try: the Wonder Woman — feet planted, hands on hips, chest lifted. Or the Winner’s Pose — arms up, chin lifted, that “I just did it” stance. Stand like this for two minutes and your testosterone rises, your cortisol drops, and biologically your body prepares you to take braver choices.
And that’s why Liberty exists. Because when women feel powerful in their own skin, everything changes — not just how they look in a photo, but how they move through the world. I’ve spent the last 12 years watching this science play out in front of my lens. Women step into a shoot terrified, feeling small. And then, slowly, they expand. They take up space. They try the pose, they laugh, they see themselves reflected back as strong, alive, unapologetic.
And once they see it, they can’t unsee it. That’s when the cycle shifts. So why do we need power poses as women? Because the world has told us to shrink. But our bodies know better. And when we learn to use them — to really, unapologetically use them — we don’t just take braver choices. We build braver lives.
