body language

Do you walk the walk as well as talk the talk? If your mouth says one thing and your body argues with you, use the following tips to help you enrich and improve your body language.

1 – Relax

Take a deep breath, roll the neck a few times and shake out any knots or kinks. A relaxed body will communicate a relaxed demeanor, and you’ll be more attentive and responsive to other people.

2 – Open Up

Have you ever spoken to anyone who tells you they’re “fine”, whilst hunched over with their arms folded across their chest? Not terribly convincing, is it? When we’re nervous or upset, there’s a tendency to protect ourselves by closing ourselves off with our gestures.

Open up your body to the world. Keep the head and chin up, keep your arms open, shoulders back and chest expanded. This communicates confidence in your ability to let other people into your world.

A quick way to do this is to widen the mouth and to open the eyes a little wider, almost as if you want to let more of the world in. This is an old actor’s trick. Subtly, though – you don’t want to stare bug eyed whilst grinning maniacally!

3 – Smile

The universal gesture of good feelings. Fake it until it comes naturally.

4 – Run A Mental Script

Before entering any social situation, run a little pep talk in your head that tells you you’re relaxed, confident, assertive, or whatever might be most useful. This will translate itself into subtle physical signals.

5 – Mirror and Match

People who are in close rapport unconsciously mimic each other’s gestures. You can develop rapport by consciously taking over this process. Subtly (and subtlety really is important here!) match your partner’s gestures. If they cross their arms, cross yours a few moments later. You can also mirror the type of gesture, so that you cross your legs if they cross their arms.

Published by @INeedMotivation

4 Comments

  1. Running a mental script could also be telling yourself that you’re the best and that no one can measure up to you. It sounds a little conceited and proud, but it works like a charm.

    Reply
  2. Running a mental script could also be telling yourself that you’re the best and that no one can measure up to you. It sounds a little conceited and proud, but it works like a charm.

    Reply
  3. Along with number 3- When you make it your number one priority to feel good, then you allow yourself to ‘create from a place of positive energy’.

    Feeling good comes from within and when you’re not feeling good it’s because your perspective is different then that of your ‘Source’. Feelings are the language of ‘the soul’ and you can be aligned with who you really are by paying close attention to how you feel.

    Make it your objective to feel the sense of relaxation, peace, and happiness. You will create that result quite easily. Remembering what those feelings feel like, creates it in the moment.

    Delightful article, thank you 🙂

    Reply
  4. Along with number 3- When you make it your number one priority to feel good, then you allow yourself to ‘create from a place of positive energy’.

    Feeling good comes from within and when you’re not feeling good it’s because your perspective is different then that of your ‘Source’. Feelings are the language of ‘the soul’ and you can be aligned with who you really are by paying close attention to how you feel.

    Make it your objective to feel the sense of relaxation, peace, and happiness. You will create that result quite easily. Remembering what those feelings feel like, creates it in the moment.

    Delightful article, thank you 🙂

    Reply

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