Feel Empowered, It’s All About Body Language
Confidence goes a long way not just in the workplace but also in relationships and social events. In fact, every single aspect of your life can be improved with confidence. Body language plays a major role in the way we are seen by others. Powerful body language can make us appear stronger and more composed.
But what type of body language exudes confidence anyway?
This article talks about six body language tips to make you feel more empowered.
How body language can empower you
Body language is just another way to communicate our feelings, except that we do it not with words but with body movements. Most of our body language is unconscious. For example, you nod to express your agreement with someone or something. But we can also consciously adjust our body language to fit the circumstances, or to achieve certain goals. An example of this is watching your body language while you’re at work so that you won’t hurt or offend your colleagues and boss. In the same manner, your body language can be tweaked to make you appear more confident. Say, you want to pitch a new idea to your boss. Using direct eye contact and standing straight with your shoulders back will help you appear more self-assured and convincing. In short, mastering body language can help you flourish during rough times.
Types of body language
Take note that body language is not only composed of hand or head movements. The following are the common types of body language:
Facial expressions
Hand gestures
Eye movements and contact
Head tilts
Voice
Posture and body movements
Way of walking
Touching your hair or face
Touching the person you are speaking to
Space between you and the person you are talking to
Tips for confident body language
1. Maintain eye contact.
Good eye contact shows your audience or your conversants that you are interested and paying attention to the conversation. It also shows that you are comfortable and confident. Another benefit of sustained eye contact is that you can easily check the reactions of your audience. So, you can also easily adjust if needed.
Make sure to maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to 60% of the time. If direct eye contact is too intimidating for you, don’t worry. You can start by looking at a spot near the other person’s eyes instead.
2. Use a lower tone and speak louder.
People with louder voices are thought to be dominant. Additionally, women with lower voices are perceived as more authoritative. So, speaking in a low and loud voice can really help you catch attention and get your point across more easily. A famous woman who used a deeper voice to assert her authority is former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
In addition, varying your tone, keeping your pauses short, and talking slightly faster than normal is helpful for situations that demand authoritativeness.
3. Stand up straight and keep your chin up.
We tend to slouch when we are feeling tired or lazy, but standing straight gives us an air of authority. Standing straight also makes you appear more eager and active. Sometimes, our posture is affected by our mental state. Mood swings that we experience on our period or as an effect of menopause can also have an impact on our body language. Also, people who are socially anxious slouch in order to take up as little space as possible.
But good posture does not only look better, it can also help you feel better about yourself. Plus, it’s a way to take up the space that you deserve. So, stand straight and tall and get ready to conquer the world. Pro tip: If you’re usually stiff when on your period, wearing period panties can help you move more comfortably.
4. Watch your arms and hands.
Speaking of taking up space, you can actually use your arms to mark your territory and occupy a bigger space onstage or during a meeting. But flailing your arms without definite purpose or direction is not going to work to your advantage. If you must use your hands to make a point, do it purposefully and sparingly. Additionally, don’t move too quickly when gesturing or walking.
Avoid pointing directly to a person as it can be perceived negatively. After all, many angry headmasters or parents are remembered because of their finger-pointing. If you need to point towards someone, use an open palm instead. One more thing to avoid is popping your wrists. A limp wrist is often seen as a sign of submission.
5. Lean forward when having a conversation.
Leaning forward when talking to someone is a gesture of attentiveness. Plus, it can also help you earn the trust of the person you are speaking to. That’s because the opposite— keeping distance or leaning backward — can be a sign of aloofness or lack of interest.
6. Make sure your gestures are genuine.
When you express agreement through your facial expressions, genuineness is of prime value. That’s because nodding too much or plastering a fake smile on your face can lead to feelings of suspicion or even distrust. Enthusiasm is perfectly fine, but over-enthusiasm may come across as phony. If you must show signs of agreement, make sure that you are wholeheartedly agreeing so that you can give a genuine smile or nod that reassures the speaker.
Final words
Be confident in word and deed by keeping eye contact, speaking in a lower and louder voice, standing straight, watching your arm and hand movements, leaning forward, and being genuine.