Body Language Secrets Revealed; How To Look & Feel More Powerful

The amount of confidence an individual expresses to others can have a direct and significant impact on their overall success. It is essential for individuals to exhibit confidence so they can make new professional contacts, form both romantic and close platonic relationships, and overall, achieve their goals. Unfortunately, everyone experiences times in life when they do not feel confident. Thankfully, many experts on human behavior are saying the phrase 'fake it until you make it' actually does hold a fair amount of truth to it. Individuals can dramatically boost their confidence, even if they don't feel it at first, with some simple body language actions and poses. Get the full details on how to use body language to feel more powerful and confident now.

Stand Strong And Be Expansive

Those looking to boost their confidence should stand strong and be sure to take up space with their body. This is because research indicates the more space an individual takes up with their body, the more confident they will appear to others. It's crucial to be graceful, composed and expansive. Individuals should stand with their legs about hip or shoulder-length apart, have a proud chest, and keep their arms comfortably at their sides. Having a confident stance will not only make individuals appear confident to others, but mentally, emotionally, and in their body, they will begin to feel more confident as well. Everyone should make it a habit to adopt a strong stance and soon they will be doing so without even thinking about it.

Do Not Hunch Over The Phone

Someone hunching over their phone is screaming insecurity to others. First of all, the hunching of the shoulders is a telltale sign that emotionally and physically, the individual wishes they could disappear and the fixation on their phone shows the world they are not interested in their surroundings or others. Thus, individuals should make the effort to leave their phone in their pocket, straighten up their back, and lift their head. Individuals may even want to smile at a kind-looking stranger and perhaps even start a conversation with them. This will ensure they do not miss out on potentially great connections and relationships. The technology will always be there, but people and experiences around individuals may not be.

Be Careful Not To Smile Excessively

While smiling can exude happiness and confidence in some cases, it is crucial for individuals to avoid smiling for no reason, as this can end up being counterproductive. Instead, individuals looking to boost their confidence should practice smiling with purpose. Smiling excessively is interpreted as a sign of submissiveness, and unless being submissive is the individual's goal, it is better for them to reduce the number of smiles they show (if over smiling is an issue for them) and instead smile only when it is warranted. Smiling purposefully will make individuals appear more socially confident and focused, which will improve their social success and help them reach their goals. Individuals can consider improving the appearance of their smile if needed by keeping their lips moisturized with a balm and using a whitening brand of toothpaste.

Establish Trust With Eye Contact

Studies have shown making eye contact helps increase trust among individuals. Making good eye contact reveals an individual has nothing to hide. However, perhaps even more important, making eye contact also demonstrates an interest in connecting with others, so it is a simple way to generate trust. However, holding eye contact is not always an easy endeavor for shy folks. Thus, shy individuals are encouraged to practice holding eye contact with the mirror in their room or with a family member or trusted friend. Overall, individuals should work to try holding eye contact about sixty or seventy percent of the time. Usually, individuals tend to look away when talking while still making eye contact about forty percent of the time, and seek out eye contact when listening.

Using The Body To Listen To Someone

Individuals may enjoy practicing the art of multitasking including multitasking while listening to someone speaking to them (of course the other person knows they are listening), but listening with their whole body reveals to the other individual that they really care about what they are saying and they will not forget it. So instead of just listening while acting distracted, or merely turning their head towards the speaker, it's crucial for individuals to show they are listening actively by aiming their entire body towards the person talking to them. This involves them pointing their chest and even their toes in this direction.

Watch The Inflection In Statements

Individuals should not end their statements in a questioning tone of voice. Ending statements in a questioning tone of voice makes individuals appear uncertain and even insecure. It can also confuse the listener about whether someone is making a statement or asking a question. Using inappropriate inflections will not encourage others to take them seriously particularly in a professional setting. If an individual tends to use a questioning tone of voice when making statements, they should spend some time daily practicing the opposite. One way of doing this is to take a deep breath, exhale as they speak, and ensure their inflection goes down at the end of their sentence.

Hold The Superhero Pose

Most individuals have probably seen the superhero pose in countless movies and television shows. The superhero stands with their legs spread apart to shoulder length or more, their hands on their hips, and their elbows bent. This is a body position that looks powerful. Psychologists refer to this kind of position as open posture. With an open posture, the limbs are spread out so they take up more room in the world. The superhero pose is a position that says, "I am powerful and deserve to take up as much space as I want to." By contrast, a closed posture involves folding the limbs in to make the body take up as little space as possible. With closed posture, individuals are perceived as having little to no power. Studies have shown if individuals stand in the superhero pose for even just five minutes prior to a difficult task or event, such as a job interview, they will not only feel noticeably more confident, but will also statistically, perform quite a bit better as a result.

Remove Barriers To Encourage A Team

When working in a team, individuals will come up against both literal and metaphorical barriers. One literal barrier would be a desk or other piece of furniture dividing them from the rest of the group. It removes the individual from the teamwork process and sets them apart, making team members feel like they need to defer to their leadership rather than collaborate. Metaphorical barriers are any issues that get in the way of successful collaboration and productive work. If someone is communicating poorly, it can cause a toxic atmosphere. Individuals should foster open communication and practice active listening to make sure team members are heard. It's also important to establish clear goals and delegate clear tasks. Individuals should approach the project as something being created together, rather than something they're handling themselves.

Shake Hands With A Firm Grip

If an individual wants to project confidence, they should shake hands with a firm grip. Individuals with weak handshakes may be perceived as weak or not confident in themselves. Whether consciously or subconsciously, potential employers and colleagues may get a first impression they aren't a strong person. That said, individuals also shouldn't use an overly strong grip. If someone's grip is strong enough to hurt, it can come off as a sign of insecurity or extreme aggression. They can give the impression they're trying too hard because they don't truly believe in themselves or they simply want to dominate the other person. With an ideal handshake, an individual will keep their posture straight, make eye contact with the other person, hold their hand out and shake for about two seconds with purpose, and smile. They should offer a greeting and repeat the person's name back to them as well.

Use Hands When Talking

Certain hand gestures can be used to project confidence to an individual's audience. There are body signals we unconsciously engage in when nervous like hand-wringing, fiddling, and crossing the arms. But standing perfectly still and motionless can make someone seem like a robot. Rather than use their hands for nervous tics, individuals should practice incorporating them into their speech. One way is for individuals to use their hands to illustrate connections between concepts and help the audience get a mental picture of what they are trying to convey. By paying attention to the direction in which they move their hands, individuals can create emphasis. For example, an individual might illustrate a high number or overwhelming workload by gesturing to the ceiling. It is essential, however, to use moderation with hand gestures, as doing so can seem erratic and actually reduce the effectiveness of the message and thus, confidence levels. Each gesture should serve a purpose!