How Do You Hold Your Cup?

The studies speak for themselves. Again and again, they confirm how coffee can elevate the mood and help with depression and how it makes us generally more positive.

The ultimate test is run in your own kitchen daily, or at the office coffee bar. You know the results. In fact, you count on them. But did you know that how you hold your cup or mug also contributes to changes in your brain, and ultimately in your mood and attitude?

Indeed, a direct correlation has been established between a person’s general attitude and the manner in which he or she handles a coffee cup. For instance, people who cradle their cups in one or both hands are more likely to be nurturing or to need nurturing. Holding a cup by the handle, on the other hand, has been associated with confidence and a desire for order.

Pay attention the next time you pour and sip that wonderfully comforting brew. It will reveal much about your current state of mind, whether you are at peace or insecure. One moment you’re cradling your cup, perhaps just before entering a meeting room to give a presentation; the next moment you’re explaining your well thought out project, holding your cup by the handle, confidently, as you sip and savor your colleagues’ undivided attention.

In other words, how you hold your mug often depends on your feelings or state of mind, and how you relate to a situation. And here’s the perk: simply switching how you hold that warm mug can shift your awareness, mood and confidence. Interestingly, only coffee and warm beverages have been shown to be such a reliable compass.