Body Language: 7 Tips for Increasing Your Confidence

Besides showing others a certain attitude, your body language can also positively influence how you feel and help you be more confident.

Reviewed and approved by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Written by Valeria Sabater

Last update: 15 December, 2022

Your body language is a silent orchestra that you’re not always conscious of. However, it has a direct impact on your environment and the people that surround you.

Controlling it, knowing it, and understanding its secrets will help you. For instance, you can improve your first impressions. This makes you more attractive. It can give you better resources for persuasion.

This doesn’t mean surrounding yourself with strategies that sellers or politicians use for an audience.

We’re talking about the ability to increase your confidence to have better control over your conversations, job interviews, and even the way you seduce others.

In this article, we will give you 7 keys for improving your body language in these kinds of contexts. We’re sure that they will be a great help.

1. Body language and your visual language

Your brain sends out your intentions. If you want something, your eyes are the first thing to look for this thing. They are the first thing that show your intentions.

So, your eyes are the first way and tool that’s used by body language. So, why not get the most out of it?

• Never lower your gaze during a conversation.
• Look directly at the person while you talk to them.
• Remember that your eyes show your emotions. So, try to show calmness, decisiveness, and personal confidence.

2. Good posture and personal space

While you talk with the person you have in front of you, it’s important that you pay attention to your posture.

Your back should stay straight, your shoulders relaxed, your neck straight and not tilted.

• Your posture reflects your attitude. To increase your confidence and convince others of what you’re saying, you shouldn’t fall into extremes. In others words, you shouldn’t assume a military posture or be very lax.
• Ideally, you want to mix being natural with security. To do this it’s essential that you take care of your personal space.
• Put yourself at a good distance. Don’t crowd the other person. But at the same time, there’s a certain closeness where conversation is natural and looks are shared as equals.

3. Always show your hands

If you’re in a job interview, a special dinner, or a serious conversation with another person. Never hide your hands. Don’t put them in your pockets, under the table, or cross your arms.

Let them be the baton that conducts your words and the expression of your emotions. Let them move with you naturally. Free them!

4.  Silence and quietness in a moment can be a good strategy

Following the metaphor that your body language is like an orchestra, it’s like an ensemble of instruments that play a part in inciting your audience.

• As you already know, music wouldn’t be the same without silences. So, to make a direct impact on those in front of you, you also need to make use of this from time to time.
• For instance, when the other person says something that you don’t agree with, instead of immediately rebuking or replying to them, make use of silence. Smile a little. Relax.

Sometimes, silence is a way to show wisdom. Make good use of it.

5. Hold an object while you talk

To make a direct impact on someone or a group of people, it’s always useful to grab a pencil, pen, or even glasses when you talk.

• Having these objects or accessories with an “intellectual” connotation will create an image of confidence in front of an audience.
• At the same time, holding something helps you to channel your anxiety.

6. Nod your head

Nodding your head is an important strategy with your body language.  This is a way of connecting with the person you have in front of you. It validates what they say. Nodding your head also shows openness or interest.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re agreeing with what they say. It’s part of a sign of respect and confidence. It gives you the ability to create a positive environment to get to an agreement. Nodding your head gives the image of a confident, respectful, and intelligent person.

7. Don’t slouch too much. Look for a point in between where you feel comfortable.

To convince others of something you don’t have to be an actor. You don’t need to use exaggerated gestures or imbalanced conversations that don’t let others speak.

Training your body language is the art of being yourself, but controlling those keys you can create an impact without turning to theatrics.

We should say that this isn’t easy. To do this, you need to work a lot on your self-esteem, personal confidence, and even your nervous tics. Sometimes these are used to hid or channel your nerves or insecurity.

To finish, we like to feel more comfortable in our everyday relationships. Also, we like to increase our ability to attract and be confident in front of others. Because of this, we should challenge ourselves with these easy body language patterns.