Fake It till You Make It: How to Look Confident Each Day
If you are shy by nature and you can’t boost your confidence, why not fake it? Lots of people seem self-assured and full of confidence when they`re actually diffident and have a low self-esteem. The thing is, people don`t know what`s inside your head and they judge the way you behave. Fortunately, you`ll be able to avoid showing nervousness starting from this moment because here`s the list of easy ways to look confident even if you`re not so indeed…
1 Speak slowly
First of all, you should know exactly what you`re talking about. It`ll help you get rid of those “umm”, “soo” and “ers”. A confident speaker prepares their speech in advance and speaks slowly so that others understand them better. Some of us speak quickly because we want to finish our speech as soon as possible or we`re afraid to be interrupted. Develop a habit of thinking twice before saying something. It`s a sneak way to fake confidence and look more professional.
2 Keep speaking
Never stop speaking even if someone interrupts and talks over you. Speak loudly and confidently to show that you ignore them. Don’t shout in return, though. They`ll do the same and it`ll make your situation even worse. Respect yourself and don`t let anyone interrupt you but if it happens, don`t lose control over the situation. You don`t want to have an argument so don`t react to people`s provocations.
Read also – 8 Ways to Become a Highly Persuasive Speaker
3 Stand on one foot
Put weight on one foot to show everyone your confidence. Such a pose means that you`re not getting ready to protect yourself. However it doesn`t show your weakness too. This way you look as a person who feels no tension as they don`t need any protection at all. “There`s no one who would even try to hurt me” – this is what you tell people when standing on one foot.
4 Move correctly
In order to look confident you need to pay attention to the way you move as well. Nervous people always perform sharp and fast moves so try to move slowly but deliberately to fake confidence successfully. Avoid superfluous gestures. If you don`t know where to put your hands, hold them together in front of the navel as most professional speakers do.
5 Don`t stare
The mistake nervous people make when talking to someone is staring at their interlocutor. There’s a big difference between staring and eye contact. Confident people make short eye contacts and can easily look around when speaking. Eye-contact can help you appear self-confident and more sure of yourself.
6 Dress confidently
People tend to use dress to reflect their levels of self-esteem. If you want to present yourself as a self-assured person, wear something bright. Diffident and shy people never wear bright clothes – they prefer to stay invisible in the crowd. Therefore, avoid wearing dark colors and try to show a little skin if it`s not cold. An interesting slogan on your shirt can also help you look more confident.
7 Improve your face impression
Do you sometimes wonder why people don`t speak to you? It may happen so because you express sufferings or some other negative feelings. Once you improve your face impression, you will notice the difference. Try to calm down and smile instead of frowning. It may be hard when you feel nervous but try to focus on positive things and thoughts to look more friendly and confident.
Read also – 7 Ways to Deal with a Bad Conversationalist
8 Tell funny stories
If you usually find it difficult to talk to people without inner tension, your favorite, funny stories can help you a lot with this task. Keep a few stories in mind to be ready to tell them when the conversation begins. It`s a nice way to relax and feel more confident when speaking to strangers.
No matter how hard we try, many of us can’t boost confidence. Faking confidence is an effective way to show others you are a successful person. Pay attention to your body language and your speaking skills. If you feel like you need to change something, do it. How do you fake confidence? Feel free to share your secrets with us.
