Confidence is a game of two halves -  inner confidence (how you feel about yourself) and outer confidence (how confident people perceive you to be). Whilst it would be a stretch, even by our standards, to fix both in the space of one web page, we can give you 5 instant confidence tricks that will improve your outer confidence immediately. 

1. Fake it till you make it.

If you act more confident, you’ll look more confident to other people, which will make them react to you like you’re a confident person, which will make you feel more confident, which in turn will make you act even more confident, which will make people react to you like you are even more confident , etc , etc , and the circle continues until you actually are as confident as you look.

2. Don’t put yourself down even in jest.

You’re subconscious doesn’t have a sense of humour. At night while you’re sleeping, your subconscious is digesting the days proceedings. In your subconscious’s world, your opinion counts. If it’s heard you say “I’m so stupid” or “I’m so fat”, even in jest, it takes you at your word. When you look in the mirror, you look back at yourself and say my goodness look how fat and stupid I am! You have the biggest impact on your thoughts, so banish negative vibes and big yourself up at regular intervals to get your subconscious to be the biggest boost to  your confidence.

3. Look the world in the eye.

Avoiding eye contact either signals you’re shifty or shy and lacking in confidence, plus if you can’t see what’s going on around you there’s a surprise round every corner and it doesn’t give you the chance to prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of you. Not catching that persons eye when you get the chance could mean you miss out on a date. Not looking the boss in the eye when you’re negotiating for a payrise could leave you with less of a rise, or even no rise. Not looking colleagues and clients in the eye will damage your relationship building with them. If you’re uncomfortable making eye contact focus on the bridge of their nose and get used to looking in that general direction. Making eye contact has the quickest and largest  impact on perceived outward confidence.   Nobody but you knows you’re uncomfortable doing it, so get over it and get on with it!

4.  Smell confident

Smell is the only sense that is processed directly by the brain. If you smell; hospitals, cut grass, coffee, fresh bread, babies heads, they’re all distinctive and evocative. Think about a time when you were feeling especially confident, maybe at a party or function, maybe after winning a match. What scent were you wearing? If you put that scent on now, it will take your brain right back to that chemical memory and those feel good emotions. Wearing it will give you an instant boost. If you don’t have a scent then get something you love and wear it when you’re feeling confident to create that scent memory association. I wear ‘Happy’ in the mornings, it’s orangey floral smell sets me up for the day, but I love ‘Narciso Rodriguez’ at night, it smells like sex in a bottle and makes me feel irresistible and invincible.

5. You are what you eat

Confident people are zinging with energy. Crap in crap out. If you eat rubbish it will show on your complexion and reflect in your mood. Also starving yourself , rather than eating healthily, trying to punish yourself for not being your ideal weight will only make you paranoid as your nervous system is lacking essential vitamins minerals and oils to make it tick along nicely. Plus nobody enjoys being around people who obsess about negative things like calories.  Eat good food, shine with health and enthusiasm,  and be passionate about it.  Don’t take my word for it, how many of our TV Chefs have legions of women lusting after them, it’s not for their dashing looks (or lack of them), it’s for their passion for food!

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