The Key to Speaking With Confidence
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on 3/16/14 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehension.
Giving a presentation isn’t all about the words that you say.
Did you know that the way you hold your body and the way you carry yourself have an impact on how confident you feel?
Give it a try for yourself. Get up and walk around the room as if you’re fearful. Then strut as if you’re the most confident person on the planet.
Do you notice a difference?
A presentation is really all about what you do with your body.
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Your body and your mood
Numerous scientific studies have shown that certain ways you position your body can have a negative or positive impact on your mood.
For example, when you smile, your body sends signals to your brain that you’re happy so you begin to feel that emotion.
The same is true when you put your body in a powerful stance. Your body’s stress hormones decrease and the hormones that make you feel confidant increase.
Becoming a confident presenter
When you strike a powerful pose, your body responds with a surge of confidence-boosting hormones and your audience picks up on it.
You appear self-assured, which gives your audience the sense that you know what you’re talking about.
Remember: It’s not about all about your message but how you communicate it.
The bottom line
The natural reaction for most people when they’re asked to speak in front of a group of people is to get nervous and maybe even feel a little panicky.
By controlling the way you position your body, you can actually change its chemistry to the point that you feel the confidence that your body is projecting.
Do you have a specific pose that you take to give yourself a boost when you’re feeling less than confident?
Takeaway: Try it out! Strike a powerful pose, then a more reserved, meek pose and note the difference in the way you feel.
This article is 100% written by a human named Karen Hough. She is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge, in the top 4% of women-owned businesses in the US, a 3-time Amazon bestselling author, Yale grad, wife and mom of three.