So in my CONFIDENCE BOOST SUMMER 2k13 QUEST, I've been digging and researching ways that we boost and lower out confidence. I stumbled upon this TedTalk and found it really eye opening. http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html I suggest watching the whole video, but for y'all that can't be arsed to, it basically discusses the effects our body language has on our own confidence. From my own experiences, I've always thought of body language as trying to appeal to others (e.g. you don't slouch in job interviews), but never really considered the effects it could have on the person themselves. I also noted that I tend to do a lot of the not so confident gestures, like slouching and folding my arms. I've been making an effort to do more confident gestures after seeing this, but I have questions for you, kingdom hearts dash videos dot net: 1. Are you more confident or more not so confident? 2. What is your body language like? Do you slouch, spread yourself out, etc.? 3. Do you believe that changing your body language can really help your own self esteem? Do you think there is something more that you need to do?
1. I'm more confident in nature, but it wasn't always like that. #middleschoolstruggles 2. I usually am spread out and relaxed, but depending on the scenario, more attentive and ridged. 3. I think it can, definitely. If you present yourself as one who knows what they are doing, it really makes the difference. Even presenting yourself in a friendly manner, by being direct, attentive, and loud enough to be heard, works wonders as well. (Isn't the only factor but it def amplifies it.) idk i've always felt like I had good people skills and charisma (not trying to brag about it, just happens i guess..), but I'm introverted in nature so I don't NEED to be social. so it's all meh to me lol.
- I tend not to be that confident, even with close friends. - I usually slouch, cross my arms, shove my hands into my pockets (which I feel absolutely naked without), etc. Even in more "professional" situations (i.e. school), I end up slouching after a while. - I'm a bit on the fence about this. For years, I've actually been told that this is the case, but I've never been sure; I know that most anything can affect someone on a psychological level, but on that same note, changing your mannerisms doesn't really lead to a change in confidence imo. I do believe that mannerisms, even the most insignificant ones, are a part of who we are. But I wouldn't change the way I act/come across just for the sake of "boosting my confidence" or "raising my self-esteem." Confidence & self-esteem are things that can grow over time, so I just prefer that it happen naturally (if that makes any sense).
1 : Overall, not really. I tend to second guess everything. Not that I' m self-depreciating either, I' m average I guess. 2 : At home, you betcha. At work, nope, unless I have to sit all day long without doing anything physical (like at school). 3 : XD Okay seriously, yes, it can give a better image of yourself to others (which in turn impacts the way you see yourself) and make you feel more secure. That being said, surely there are employers out there who couldn' t care less whether you look like a slacker or not as long as you aren' t one, however if you are indeed a slacker no amount of positive maneurism will hide it very long. All the same, avoiding all the taboo maneurisms during an interview won' t give me nearly as much confidence as knowing exactly what the job is and knowing full well I can do it easy peasy. In short, just like beauty, it' s superficial and fairly subjective. I know it matters, but I also know there' s more important stuff to focus on.
1. I suppose I go for the high powered poses more often than not, these days anyway. Really it depends my situation, i'm on the train, I try and keep myself tightly packed from other people, our legs touch I try and move them, but if i'm at the pub I will put my leg against my mates and be more outlandish with expressions. My mood is also a great factor, along with many others like how tired I am, for example. 2. I do that thing where I stretch out my legs and lean my arm on another chai when there is space. Honestly, since i'm so tall and usually I am close by people, I don't try and spread myself out because it's not possible or rude if I do. In those situations I keep to the low powered positions. 3. It can help, sure, but everyone reacts differently to things. It reminds me a lot of 'pumping yourself up' like in sports or to gain a confidence boost. You get a pat on your shoulder, you feel more confident because someone cares and believes in you. You pant and puff and shout out loud to release some energy and build up the feeling of confidence to win and succeed. It's not a new idea, but seems to be in some way provable now with continued research. There is a big difference between your perception and reaction and others though. Just because you feel dominate in a social situation, doesn't mean you are, especially since to me taciturn speakers who are calm and collected usually have greater power, it's just not as well displayed and hidden instead. So you might be able to stand arms in the air like a winner, but perception and reality are separate things.
1. I would say I am rather confident in most situations, by that I mean I am not easily pressured by the effects of an 'awkward moment' or when I don't care what someone thinks of me then I feel much more confident. The one thing I am not at all confident with is my stomach, when I sit down I feel so much more comfortable if I cover it with a jacket or a cushion by having it in my lap as it just puts me at ease. In photos I tend to pull a lot of faces as well xD and I have always thought that that was a reflection of my self confidence but of course it yo-yo's depending on what I may have done that day e.g. if I have helped someone and feel good about myself then I'll be much more confident but I think that is the same for most people. 2. It depends again on the situation, I tend to be open and smiley though but it's also a reflection of how I'm feeling, sometimes I'm not very happy or in the mood to talk to others so I will be more closed off and slouch more. 3. I personally think it's confidence and self esteem that affects body language as opposed to the other way around but I suppose it could also have a negative effect as I have found that if I am feeling low then if I smile it'll make me feel better. It does make sense for it to have an affect but I think it's a small factor in comparison to other things.
