Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nDraw Power From Your Clothes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Yes, today\u2019s world is an extroverted one where most people assume people who hold center stage are the only ones that are confident. But this is actually a misconception. Just because someone is the heart and soul of the party and is often loud and attracts boisterous attitudes from those around them doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re as confident and courageous as you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same goes for people who are perceived as reserved, who are more softly spoken. Just because they\u2019re not shouting with the rest of the boardroom doesn\u2019t mean that they lack confidence. Being introverted doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019re doomed to be self-conscious and too anxious to take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is what you can do to get one step closer towards building an unshakeable confidence that can easily match and level the confidence of extroverts around you. Step number one? Draw power from the way your dress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dressing well doesn\u2019t just make people pay positive attention to you, but it has the added bonus of making you feel good about yourself. Most importantly, it makes you feel more confident. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go out and buy something that\u2019s ridiculously expensive. Just put on an outfit that fits well, is appropriate for the occasion– whether it\u2019s for work or for a function or event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you feel confident enough to venture into \u201ccourageous\u201d territory, then consider wearing something that stands out a little as a conversation starter to give people a reason to strike up a conversation with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make Your Body Language Speak For You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Confidence and courage are related. A lot of people struggle with confidence, wanting more of it. You may feel that confidence is the thing that is going to help you advance your career, land clients, ask for raises, et cetera, but when you\u2019re saying that you want more confidence, you may actually also mean to say that you want more courage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Confidence is essential to make it in the business world, but courage? That\u2019s what\u2019s going to get your foot out the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What if we told you that one immediate sign of both courage and confidence is proper body language? Standing up straight, chin held high, and with an open body language can immediately <\/em>make you feel powerful enough to take on a presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor this particular moment, your comfort zone when it comes to body language and posture may include folded arms when you\u2019re feeling defensive, crossed legs, hunched shoulders, looking down, hands in your pockets, etc. While these movements often act as a protective barrier against the world and make you feel safer, they should be avoided as much as possible if you\u2019re trying to build up your self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t need to be an expert in body language, but know that even just appearing relaxed helps you look and feel more authoritative. Long before you say a word, you can display your courage by carrying yourself the right way. Remember that you\u2019re sending strong messages to your coworkers about who you are and how you feel about yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So are you ready for this? Hold that chin up, roll your shoulders back, distribute your weight evenly on both feet. Practise this long and regularly enough, and you\u2019ll feel beyond relaxed and confident in your own skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Every introvert knows the struggle of feeling too anxious to ask a question. But this is one hack to navigate social situations, both on a personal and a professional level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When in doubt– whether the conversation has stalled, you\u2019re trying to work up the courage for something, etc– the key is to deflect the conversation away from yourself. You can do that by asking people questions. You\u2019ll still be playing an active role in the conversation, but the attention will be less stressful and allow you to gather yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if you don\u2019t know what to ask someone, try to remember something the other person has said about themselves and ask them if they expand on that. If that doesn\u2019t work, keep watching because we\u2019re going to cover how to navigate conversations in the workplace in a moment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The more you ask questions, the more you break down that fear of asking someone for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on Your Strengths<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Passionate about what you do? Have lots of ideas you want to offer? Have valuable insight but you don\u2019t know what to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Draw on the strengths you already have. You have the content. If you\u2019re not the sort to give grand speeches, then that\u2019s fine. In order to approach life with gusto and bravery, you don\u2019t have to act like someone else. Your thoughts and ideas are valuable enough on their own, and that is your strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Six Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The next time you\u2019re at a meeting, a social function, or if you\u2019re just engaging in a conversation with colleagues, try following the golden rules– aka, Dale Cargenie\u2019s guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his tried and true book, \u201cHow to Win Friends and Influence People,\u201d he maps out six ways to make people like you. Confidence appears in the way you interact with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These six methods will establish the foundation for your future success. In other words, this is how you can confidently approach your coworkers. Number one is to be genuinely interested in other people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Number two is to remember to smile; three is to remember that a person\u2019s name is the most important sound in the world and across all language; number four is to be a good listener and to encourage others to talk about themselves; five is to talk in the terms of the other person\u2019s interest, and finally, number six is to make sure you make the other person feel important and do it with sincerity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Practise Being Center Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It takes guts to be the center stage, so for this next tip, here is a bit of an untraditional route. Want to do a test run and practise your new habits? Admittedly, the first few times you try this in real life, there are bound to be some errors and missteps. It happens to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But you can lessen the shock of the first time you gather up your courage to speak up and find all eyes on you. This untraditional method involves using technology to simulate reality. One of the most effective ways to mimic the actual event is to use virtual reality. This is where you can connect your phone into a virtual reality headset to immerse yourself in another environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, you can practise and make errors if you want. Get used to what it feels like to be in the center stage. And hey, you\u2019ll be in the safety of virtual reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charge Your Social Battery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Every introvert knows that even among family and friends, your social battery may often feel drained. This lies the main difference between introverts and extroverts– where you get your energy from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you look at an extrovert, you\u2019ll find that they often draw their energy from engaging with other people. The more people they engage with, the more energetic and charged they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, introverts on the other hand can often get their energy from being alone. With each extensive social interaction, their energy drains. If you plan on approaching life with confidence, then you need to strategize, and you can\u2019t do that on an empty battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a time during your way, whether that\u2019s during your lunch hour or even just simple bathroom breaks, and take this time to recharge. Consider having a strategic hour of alone time before you enter an important meeting or a particularly stressful networking event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This allows you to approach others re-energized, helping you engage more easily with others. Most notably, this allows you to communicate confidence easily with your colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Be Afraid to Talk About Your Accomplishments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do you often witness the more extroverted type getting more promotions and leadership opportunities? That\u2019s because they\u2019re more used to self-promotion. They are not afraid to let others, including their bosses, know about their accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, there is a distinction between self-promoting and bragging about yourself. Bragging is driven by ego while on the other hand, self-promotion is all about being driven by your accomplishments. It\u2019s not wrong to let others know what you achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Build your bravery by finding or creating opportunities where you can talk about your contributions to successful projects and mention your ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business doesn\u2019t have to make you feel like you don\u2019t have a place unless you\u2019re constantly struggling for it. And building self-confidence and courage as an introvert isn\u2019t as impossible as some people make it out to be. Ready to take on the business world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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