8 Ways How your Thinking is Affected by your Body Language
Our body posture influences our decision making and thinking to a great extent. In fact, our body language and the way we change our postures is closely related to how others see us and own habits and moods. Here are 8 ways that can help you in making a great first impression with the body language.
Pose with confidence
It turns out Leo was on to something: According to Harvard professor Amy Cuddy, two minutes of power posing -- standing tall, holding your arms out or toward the sky, or standing like Superman, with your hands on hips -- will dramatically increase your confidence. Try it before you step into a situation in which you know you'll feel nervous, insecure, or intimidated.
Smile even in tough situations
Frowning, grimacing, glowering, and other negative facial expressions send a signal to your brain that whatever you're doing is difficult. That causes your brain to send cortisol into your bloodstream, which raises your stress levels. Soon stress begets more stress -- and pretty soon you're a hot mess. Instead, force yourself to smile. It works. Plus when you smile that helps other people feel less stress, too. Most of us mirror the actions of others, so if you smile, other people will smile. If you nod, others will nod.
Sit up Straight
When we sit up straight, we are more likely to remember positive memories or think of something positive in general, according to this experiment.
Avoid standing face-to- face
Standing face to face can feel confrontational. One way to reduce the instinctive level of threat you and the other person feel is to shift your stance slightly so you're standing at an angle -- much like models who almost never stand with their bodies square to the camera. if you're confronted don't back away; just shift to a slight angle. And if you wish to appear less confrontational to a person with whom you need to have a "direct" conversation, approach that person and stand at a 45-degree angle
Avoid Gesturing Above your Shoulders
Use props to engage. Body positions affect attitude. People who stand or sit with their arms crossed and heads tilted forward are naturally more resistant and defensive. Or if you're speaking to a group, ask questions that involve raising hands. Pass around relevant items. Find a way to get people to stand or change seats. The more people move and open up their body language, the more engaged they feel.
Make use of your Hands
The right gestures add immeasurably to your words. Think about how you talk and act when you're not "on." Then act basically the same way when you're in professional situations. You'll feel more confident, think more clearly, naturally punctuate certain words and phrases, and fall into a much better rhythm. In short, you'll be more charismatic.
Maintain Eye Contact when Speaking
Eye contact is important, but it's hard to maintain eye contact when you also have to think. Most of us start talking and look up or down or away and then swing our eyes back when we've gathered our thoughts. Here's a better way. If you have to look away to think, do that before you answer. Take a pause, look thoughtful, glance away, and then return to making eye contact when you start speaking.
Increase your Energy Level
Imagine you've just led a meeting. Now rate your energy level during that meeting on a scale of 1 to 10. If you're like most people you'll yourself an 8 or a 9. Unfortunately, most of the people in the room give you a 3 or a 4. What feels "high energy" to us can come across flat and lifeless to others. you should definitely display more enthusiasm and passion than you would under other circumstances
