This article was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.
Body Language Can Make You Look More Confident – Practice confident nonverbal cues even if you don’t feel confident. This will help you boost your self-esteem and improve your self-image. If you have a social anxiety disorder, you may have a hard time feeling at ease in social situations. Make sure your body language delivers a positive message about yourself in order to increase your self-confidence.
You may portray an aura of confidence by practicing these motions and actions. Faking it ’til you make it, as the saying goes, can work.
Shake Hands Firmly
You should practice offering a firm handshake while meeting new people. A shaky handshake conveys a lack of confidence. Once you become used to it, it will become second nature to you.
Reflect Others’ Body Language
When we’re among people who speak with their hands, we tend to sit up straighter and gesticulate more frequently, even if we’re not aware of it. Mimicking the body language of another person demonstrates that you are paying close attention to what they are saying, which can lead to better communication and a deeper connection. You may feel more at ease and confident when you experience that connection.
Take Your Time And Speak Clearly
As a result of our nervousness, we may rush through our points of discussion and remarks in an effort to get the conversation over with as quickly as possible. It’s possible that speaking fast will make your anxiety and self-consciousness obvious. Allow your audience to fully absorb what you have to say by speaking at a slower pace. This is a good method to get people’s attention. Learn more about how you can take your social anxiety into your own hands at BetterHelp.
Slow Down Your Movements
You come across as more agitated when you move quickly. It doesn’t matter if you’re making eye contact or not; slow down and watch how it makes you feel more secure.
Step Up Your Game
Slow down and try to walk with long steps. It’s easier for confident folks to take big strides and walk confidently. You’ll feel less stressed as a result of doing so.
Observe Your Hands
Avoid caressing your face or neck, both of which are signs that you’re feeling worried, apprehensive, or scared. As a rule, self-confident people avoid these kinds of actions. It is possible to convey confidence by making the hand sign for “steeple” and/or “palms out.”
Keep Your Face Up
When you’re walking, do you keep your eyes on the ground? Do you converse with your chin lowered all the time? Instead, keep your head up and your eyes focused on the road in front of you while you walk. While it may initially feel awkward, you’ll become used to the more confident posture eventually. When you’re standing and speaking, you can use it as well.
Lay Off The Fidgeting
Anxiety and uneasiness can be clearly seen in someone’s fidgeting. Keep your fidgeting to a minimum to project more self-assurance. It is difficult for others to concentrate on what you are saying if you engage in nervous motions such as bouncing your leg or tapping your fingers on a table.
Forget Your Pockets Exist
If you’re nervous about your hands trembling, it’s easy to put them in your pockets, but this only gives the impression that you’re nervous and unconfident. To appear more confident, keep your hands out of your pockets.
Establish Eye Contact
To project self-assurance, make eye contact with others during social engagements. It’s important to maintain good eye contact to show others that you are attentive and comfortable. About 60% of the time, make eye contact with the other individual. Begin by glancing at a point near the person’s eyes instead of directly at them.