Your body language doesn’t merely reflect your emotions, it’s often the cause. By learning some of the principal ways that your own posture, gestures, facial expression and even tone of voice affect your mind, you will be more aware of the factors influencing your mood, and give yourself an edge in presentations and negotiations.
Opening up your body and filling more space – known as a “power posture” – has been shown in studies to have a range of confidence-boosting effects. An example for the ambitious would be clenching your hands behind your head and putting your feet up on the desk; or, a subtler example, standing feet astride with hands on hips. Basically, the more space you take up, the more “powerful” the posture.
