There are those who are innately confident and those who are able to project a look of confidence successfully. If you are not in the first category, do not sweat: no matter how jittery you are within, if you ‘act’ confident chances are you will begin feeling confident too. Be it for a meeting with your boss or a date with a girl or a boy from class. Begin faking it, and you might actually get there. Here is how you can make a good start:
Body language:
Get your body language right, and you can trick anyone into believing that you are not a bundle of jittery nerves. Here are a few tips:
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Have an erect posture when sitting and standing tall. Do not bow your back — it shows that you would rather hide somewhere!
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Maintain slight eye contact with the other person when you talk. Don’t overdo this.
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Never fiddle with your hair, bag, phone, coins, keys — it’s a clear sign of edginess.
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Don’t stand with your arms or legs tightly closed, it shows that you are terribly nervous.
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A confident person always moves gradually. He/ she does not ever make swift movements or hurries up with his/ her speech and action. Take it slow and steady.
Dress well:
Research says that what you wear determines how you feel. So if you are dressed in shreds, you will obviously project a lazy mindset. Instead, dress sharply, even if you have nothing important to say or do. Structured garments with clean cuts such as pencil-cut pants teamed with a tucked-in shirt (for women) and a crisp shirt with well-fitted trousers (for men) work well. However, make sure you wear something that makes you feel comfortable. People who constantly fidget with their clothes come across as uneasy and restless.
• Watch your words:
Nervousness will attack your speech first, so think before you speak. Things such as repeating your sentence, stammering, excessive use of fillers (‘you get my point’ or ‘you know what I mean’) signify nervousness. Rehearse what you want to say in your mind and only then put your point forward. This is especially for students attending a group discussion or professionals during job interviews. Talk clearly, audibly and choose a language you are comfortable with.
Hair:
The way your hair looks says a lot about your level of confidence. No matter how nervous you feel within do you rhair well to give an illusion of confidence. Well combed or slicked back hair tied into a bun works well on dates and meetings. However, never think of stepping out in an ‘out-of thebed’ look. This has the potential to make the opposite person take you casually and not pay attention to what you have to say.
Make up and grooming:
Well defined eyes are an instant confidence booster, so is dark lip colour. This works well for presentations, where you want the audience to pay attention to your talk. Also, work towards your overall grooming - get regular facials, pedicure, get rid of chipped nail paint, etc. Experts say that an unshapely eyebrow is one of the important reasons behind low confidence levels, so tweeze regularly.
Visualise:
When feeling nervous, take a couple of minutes out and visualise the scene beforehand. Shut your eyes and visualise the scene you are going to enter. Imagine yourself as a confident person who is charge of the situation.
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