14 Ways To Improve Your Body Language Today

Research shows that 83% of human interactions are actually done through body language. Mastering it is hence essential for everyone. The good news? It’s not exactly hard to improve our body language. The bad news however, it does require some time to get used to. In any case, it’s always better to start today. Here’s how you do it.

1. Maintain eye contact – As I am aware that some may find this difficult at first, you can try to keep your eye fix to the forehead instead. Once you have that mastered, then its easier to maintain eye contact. It’s wise to note that in some Asian countries, it is not advisable to maintain eye contact with elders, in which case, keeping your eye fix to the forehead would be best.

2. Putting up a sincere smile – The best smile is the one that comes from the heart. A fake smile is never appreciated, and it’s easily noticeable, so don’t do it. In order to put a sincere smile, don’t smile the moment you meet someone new. Maintain a second of eye contact before putting up a smile, and keep it for at least 2 seconds before slowly loosening the smile. Also remember to smile not only with your lips, but with your eyes as well. Say cheese.

3. Lean forward – Have you ever been to a coffee shop with a friend, and while you were pouring your heart out, he was leaning backward against the chair. Well, he was probably listening. Still, what a put off. When you choose not to lean forward, it gives out the feeling that you are not interested in what the other person is saying. On the other hand, if you lean forward, it gives assurance to the other person that you are interested and paying attention. As we all want others to pay attention to us especially when it comes to sharing things that matter, the same goes for the other person. It pays to be a good friend.

4. Greet everyone – Lately, I have been trying to greet everyone I meet. Follow up with a smile, I find greeting to be the best way to start a day. I recommend you give it a try. It’s not hard at all. Just start by greeting everyone you meet. The cashier, the canteen worker, your colleague, the waitress, the nice stranger and just about anyone if you get the chance. It’s doesn’t just bring more smile to your life, it’s also a good practice to get rid of shyness and improve self confidence. So be sure to give it a try.

5. Nod when talking – When someone is talking, it’s good to make sure that you nod every once in a while. It’s basically saying to the other person that you are listening and paying attention to him.

6. Shoulder backward and relaxed – In order to make a good standing posture, shoulder should be leaning backward, not frontward. The idea is basically to throw the chest wide apart, in order to show confident.

7. Keep your head up – When walking, try to avoid keeping your eyes to the ground, or you might come off as insecure. In order to keep your head up, the best way to do it is by having your nose slightly pointing upwards, as though you’re lifting it and have your eyes towards the horizon.

8. Maintain a positive attitude – If you noticed, you can almost tell if someone is having a bad day from someone who is not. That is because our body subconsciously picks up our emotions and put it on display. Say if you’re bored, it will show sooner or later and the other person will notice. So be sure to make your move before it’s too obvious. The other way to avoid such scenario is by maintaining a positive attitude.

9. Speak louder – Have you ever come across people who speak softly? It’s so hard to tell what she was talking about. When it comes to effective communication, it’s best to speak louder, or you will appear insecure, so do try to avoid it.

10. Shake hand with firm grip – A soft grip gives out a feeling you lack confidence. When shaking hands, it’s always good to make a firm grip.

11. Talk slower – If you’re a big James Bond fan like myself, you would noticed that he is always calm and composed. That is actually because he never speaks in a hurry manner. If you are the type who always rushes in your speech, it shows a lack of confidence to others, and that’s not good. So try practice speaking in a calm manner. Not too slow, and definitely not too fast.

12. Don’t cross your arms – Unless you prefer not to be approached, crossing your arm may be a bad idea as it gives out the signal of “don’t approach me.”

13. Walk in a composed manner – Not too fast, not too slow. Walking with confident is not as hard as some may think. As long as you get your standing posture perfected (shoulder backward, head upward to the horizon), walking with confidence is almost guaranteed to be a walk in the park. No pun intended.

14. Mirroring – Just as the name of the skill implies, you can mirror the other person by imitating their moves. If they take up their glass to drink, do the same. If they are feeling sad, empathize with them. This work great because the other person will feel more at ease toward us.

Your thoughts

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Photo Credit: Josh.Liba