"Taylor, sit up straight!"

I can hear the oft-repeated command. My mother was the drill sergeant, and I was a little girl; her passion made it seem like I was in training to be principal dancer in a ballet company. It bugged me then, but I'm grateful now—good posture comes naturally to me because of her vigilance. As I look around and observe epidemic bad posture, I'm reminded of the invaluable gift my mom gave me.

Bad posture is sly. It creeps in, little by little, and before we know it, our default stance is slouched and correction is difficult. Smartphones are major contributors to bad posture: our bodies assume a natural inward curve when we are engaged with our devices. Having children can also lead to bad posture. I've noticed countless mothers whose shoulders round forward because of feeding babies, carrying babies, and stooping down to interact with children. Unfortunately, good posture can be more challenging for females, due to the weight of breasts and the fact that we have lower bone density than males.

Today's post is a reminder to be aware of your posture and make all necessary corrections. Gravity and aging are working against us, there is no better time to course correct than right now. Upright is the healthiest way to be.