Appearing confident may not be easy, especially in situations where you feel nervous or unsure of yourself. But through your clothing, your posture and the way you look at other people, it is really possible to project an air of self-confidence. Read on to learn those strategies that can help you look confident.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Dress to Look Confident
Step 1. Wear dark colors
Dark colors give a more confident and authoritative air to the wearer, so when you need to look confident, go for black, blue, gray or other dark tones. Avoid light and pastel shades when you want to look confident.
Step 2. Wear formal clothes
Whether you are a student or a professional, wearing clothes that are more formal and professional than those worn by others will make you appear more confident. An outfit that is slightly more elegant than it should be will ensure that you are perceived as a confident person.
For example, at school, instead of wearing a regular shirt, opt for a freshly ironed shirt. Or in case you have a presentation where you would normally wear casual clothes, choose something more elegant like a jacket
Step 3. Choose the right clothes
Unsuitable or wrong size clothes will distract your mind all day. Adjusting your clothes all the time will make you appear, and sometimes feel, lacking in self-confidence. On the contrary, by choosing the right clothes, you can live your day with peace of mind, without being forced to fix them constantly.
Step 4. Take care of your hygiene and your personal image
Make your hair shiny, your face look fresh, and your hands are groomed, thus helping to project a confident look. A person who takes good care of himself appears more self-confident.
Method 2 of 3: Use Your Body to Appear Confident
Step 1. Get into an empowering posture
Standing erect and with your arms and legs projected outward will help you feel more confident about yourself. This type of dominant posture also lowers cortisol and boosts testosterone, adding further confidence in yourself. Take the time to sneak into the bathroom or an empty room and assume an empowering posture for about a minute before entering the scene.
Step 2. Master the space around you
Taking up more space will make you appear larger and more confident in the eyes of other people. Use your arms and legs to claim more territory around you.
- When standing, keep your hands on your hips and spread your legs to align them behind your shoulders.
- When sitting, lean back and stretch your legs out in front of you, rest one or both arms on the back of the chairs next to yours. If there is a table or desk in front of you, you can rest your arms on it, stretching and spreading them outwards to distance them from the torso.
Step 3. Keep your back straight
A hunched figure exudes a lack of self-confidence. Then walk with your back straight to appear confident. Keep your shoulders back and lift your chin slightly.
Check your posture by holding a pencil in each hand. Let your arms fall to your sides. If the pencils are facing inward (towards you), it means you are hunching your shoulders. Move them back until the pencils are pointing forward to achieve the posture you should ideally assume as you walk
Step 4. Turn your torso and feet towards your interlocutor
Directing the body towards the person you are talking to shows respect and interest in what they have to say, it also helps to make us appear confident. Insecure people may have a hard time looking their interlocutors in the face during a conversation.
Step 5. Stand still
By fidgeting, you will appear nervous and uncomfortable, and consequently unsure of yourself. Practice staying still when standing or sitting.
- When standing, place your hands on your hips or hold something in one or both hands. You can hold a cup, pad, pen, or other object appropriate to the situation. In this case, absolutely avoid fiddling with the chosen object.
- While sitting, place your hands firmly on the armrests of the chair or table. Remind yourself not to fiddle with your fingers.
Method 3 of 3: Use Facial Expressions to Appear Confident
Step 1. Look for eye contact
Establishing and maintaining eye contact with your interlocutors will make you appear a confident person. Insecure people tend to shy away from other people's looks. The more timid can even look down or let their eyes wander around the room.
Although, after making eye contact, it is good to look away from time to time, it is important to make sure that the observed object is at the same level as our eyes. Occasionally moving your gaze will prevent you from becoming annoying, a possible side effect of too intense eye contact
Step 2. Fix your gaze until the other person decides to look away
If you want to appear confident, you can decide to stare someone in the eye until they look away. This technique will not only make you appear more confident in the eyes of others, it will help you understand that you are not the only one who is nervous.
But remember not to repeat it more than once. By using this technique throughout the entire conversation, you will risk appearing suspicious or aggressive
Step 3. Smile at people
People are attracted to smiling faces because those who smile appear more confident and friendly. Remember to always smile when you walk into a room, when you meet someone new and when talking to someone. Just don't smile in a way that may seem forced or unnatural. Just smile as usual.
