How to look confident: 5 tips to improve body language

In a room full of people, self-confidence shines like no other! You may be a Miss-Know-It-All, excelling at knowledge and skills, but if you lack confidence, it can be a spoiler. This is not just applicable in professional life, but for your personal growth too. What you say is important, but how you say it is equally important. That’s where body language plays a huge part. So, let us share some expert tips on how to look confident.

Confidence cannot be inherited. You have to work towards building it and exuding it when you deal with people.

Try these 5 ways to look confident with body language

1. Watch your posture

Don’t slouch and bend! Learning to stand upright, with your shoulders apart and spine straight as a stick, to look confident. According to yoga guru Dr Hansaji Yogendra, maintaining a neat, upright posture can also help you keep your overall body health. When you have stand or sit with a curve in your spine, it can be considered a weakness in one’s personality.

2. Build eye contact

Imagine when someone talks to you without looking at you. Doesn’t it feel awkward? Well, experts concede that a person looks confident when they try to maintain eye contact while talking to the person in front. In fact, avoiding this may seem as though there may be lack of interest or control over the conversation.

With proper eye contact, you can also express your thoughts better and gauge the response of the listener instantly. Besides, what you say seems more effective and you look confident!

3. Mind your hand gestures

Do you keep your hands in front of you or behind your back while talking? Believe it or not, your hand gestures play an important role in exhibiting whether you are confident or cautious. Simply keep your hand gestures as normal as possible. Ensure that your palms remain relaxed and move your hands slowly instead of making exaggerated gestures. Hand movements can also display your assertiveness or aggression. So, use them wisely!

Also read: These 7 warning signs indicate that you’re running low on confidence

4. Articulate your words

When you put your points across clearly and coherently, it’s a natural way to look confident. If you mumble and fumble, it’s a sign you are not sure of what you may want to say. Having clarity of thought contributes to building self-confidence. You should also keep in mind not to over-express because speaking too much also can seem like a sign of weakness.

Respect others in the conversation too, instead of interfering. Wait for your turn, otherwise you may come across as being negative. Remember, being calm equals confidence.

5. Avoid being nervous

A certain degree of nervousness is absolutely healthy, but letting it show via your facial expressions can hamper your attempts to look confident. If talking to certain people makes you feel nervous and anxious, you’ve got to learn how to overcome it. Knowing your subject well is one way to deal with this. You may also take deep, slow breaths to calm your nerves. Slowly and steadily, you will gain self-confidence and look confident too!