We’ve all heard about how important it is to pay attention to what our body language, or non-verbal communications are saying to others. But did you know that you body language can also have an effect on your emotions? This can intern make or break you entire day! It all starts with what you want your day to be like. You have to actively decide what the outcome is going to be for the day. As Amy Cuddy says in the amazing Ted Talk, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are, “Don’t fake it until you make it, fake it until you become it.” Body Language can have a massive impact on not only how others feel feel about you, but also how you feel about yourself.
Pump yourself up
For starters, your body language can influence your feelings of power and dominance. For example, when people stretch out and take up space, like leaning back with their legs outstretched and their hands behind their heads, it creates a feeling of dominance. Raising their arms up into the air like runners do when they finish a race, creates a feeling of power. Try this in the professional setting, but just make sure you do it in between meetings or when no one else is around. You don’t want to look like a crazy person with your hands raised above your head. Try giving a little jump in place to stretch your legs and get your blood flowing a little. A boost in a feeling of dominance or strength will lead to a boost in confidence, which is key to sales in any setting.
Be aware of “negative” postures
Conversely, when people feel powerless or out of control, they make themselves smaller. They wrap their arms around themselves, cross their ankles, or hunch over. You carry yourself or hold yourself in any given moment has a direct correlation with how you feel. So when you are going throughout your day, be aware of how you are composing yourself as you work, even if you are alone. If you are in face-to-face sales, avoid sabotaging your sales pitch through poor posture or approaching people with signs of a closed-off personality.
Body language and your attitude
Powerful people are generally more confident, more prone to see the bright side even in adverse situations, and are more apt to take risks. Physiologically they’re different too. People who are generally in a position of power have higher levels of testosterone – the dominance hormone, and cortisol –the hormone that gives you the ability to mitigate stress. Reducing stress is often made even more apparent in the way they carry themselves and conduct business with other people. The good news is body posture can affect your hormones. And no, it doesn’t take years of practice to see results. You can see results by adopting power poses for a couple of minutes a day.
Give your confidence a boost
A power pose like standing with your legs about a hip-width apart and your hands on your hips can increase your confidence. You can use power poses to recharge your power levels during the day, or before a job interview, before giving a speech, before a sales call, or before an important meeting, Even if it feels like holding power poses is faking power, do it anyway, because while you’re faking it, you are also forging a path for yourself to make it.
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