How To Portray Confidence In Any Life Situation

We don’t just want to be a confident person, we want to portray confidence, too. Why is confidence important? It allows us to feel sure of ourselves. It gives us the boost to go out there and step out of our comfort zone. It can give us an advantage in life, too.

The good news is, we are all capable of being confident.

Think about your level of confidence now. Do you assured in who you are and what you’re saying? We are also all capable of portraying confidence. Why is it important to portray confidence? Because it will get other people respecting you, in all aspects of life.

In the workplace, that can help you climb the ladder and get that promotion you have had your eye on.

In your romantic life, confidence can help you catch the attention of that person you’ve been eyeing across the bar.

In your family life, it can help you be the person your parents and siblings know they can rely on, the one they can go to for advice.

And for yourself, portraying confidence will just have you feeling better about yourself, and about the life you’re living.

All of that is powerful. Portraying confidence is powerful.

How else is it powerful? Well, you’ve heard the phrase “fake it ’til you make it” right? That’s basically portraying the confidence you may not be having in the moment. If you’re not feeling confident, appearing that you are can help you actually become confident.

Convincing a room that you are standing in that you are confident about what you are saying will get them believing you and believing in you, and you’ll start believing in yourself, too.

If you have social anxiety, this can be especially hard. Take a deep breath and put a concerted effort into applying these tips as often as you can. Soon enough, that “fake confidence” will turn into a feeling of certainty and have a positive effect on the rest of your life.

Think of all the confident people you know in your life. Do you know if they’re actually confident in themselves, or do you just think they are because of how they come off? Does it even matter to you? It probably doesn’t. They come off as though they know what they’re talking about and they know what they’re doing and that’s what you’re taking away from them.

So, how can we go about portraying confidence? Sure, it may come naturally to some. But there are different ways you can be proactive about it. There are things you can do to help you portray confidence. Here are some habits you should try adopting, and some are easier to start adopting than you may realize!

10 Ways To Portray Confidence in Any Situation In Your Life

1. Stand Tall

Body language is key when it comes to portraying confidence. When you’re speaking, you want to stand or sit tall and make sure you’re not slouching. You want to take up space.

Try to keep your shoulders back and your spine straight while you are standing or sitting. If you do the opposite and take up as little space as possible, you’re shutting yourself out from the world, and coming off as unconfident instead.

There are some “power poses” you can do as well. One is to put your hands on your hips with your elbows wide. That’s a way to take up space.

If you’re like me and on the shorter side, I typically try and wear heels whenever I can. At least for me, that helps me feel more confident and like I’m taking up more space! Paying attention to your body language and having good posture is one of the best ways to portray true confidence in a new situaton.

2. Make Eye Contact When You Speak

Think of social interactions you have had. If someone is speaking to you and having a difficult time making direct eye contact with you, are you really listening to what they’re saying? Are you taking them seriously? You probably aren’t. This is exactly why making eye contact while you’re speaking is crucial! If you’re speaking to a crowd, try making eye contact with various people in your audience.

This is also try for when someone is speaking to you. Keep eye contact with them. If you break eye contact or start looking around, you’re showing the other person that you’re shy or indecisive… both opposites of being confident!

This will also help you be mindful of your facial expressions and hand gestures as you speak which are also part of your confident body language and building confidence. Which leads us to…

3. Stop Fidgeting

One of the tell-tale signs of not having confidence is fidgeting. You may fidget and not even realize it!

Some common ways of fidgeting include leg-jiggling, waving your hands, consistently adjusting the way you’re standing or nodding a ton. If this sounds like you, you’re not portraying confidence! If you find yourself doing one of these things, try and stand still. Move in appropriate and deliberate ways.

Not sure if you fidget? Practice with a friend! Try speaking in front of a friend or anyone you trust. Have them call out any fidgeting they notice you’re doing, while you’re doing it, so you can become aware of it!

4. Listen More Than You Speak

People who are confident tend to listen more to others than they speak. They actively listen and pay attention to what the other person is telling them, rather than thinking of what they are going to say next. This means not just hearing the words being said, but also understanding the meaning behind them. Ask clarifying questions and reflect back what you’ve heard to show that you’re truly engaged in the conversation.

Why? Because people who are confident don’t feel like they need to prove themself. People who talk over others are often seen to have an arrogant character and it’s often a sign of low confidence. They focus on the interaction they’re in the midst of and are really in the moment, rather than seeing it as an opportunity to prove themselves.

Being a better listener can greatly improve your relationships and communication skills. One way to do this is by giving the speaker your full attention. Put away distractions like your phone or social media and focus on what the other person is saying. Show that you’re listening by nodding, making eye contact, and using verbal cues like “I see” or “That makes sense.”

By being a better listener, you’ll build stronger connections and become more empathetic towards others.

5. Don’t Be Afraid of Being Wrong

Confident people aren’t perfect – no one is perfect. They make mistakes and are wrong, too. But they’re not afraid of being wrong. Plus, they don’t take being wrong as a bad thing, they take it as a learning opportunity.

So the next time you stop yourself from doing or saying something because you’re worried about being wrong, don’t. Stop being afraid, and do it. Worst case scenario? You’re wrong and you’ve learned from it.

6. Have a Strong Handshake

What’s the first thing you do when you meet someone new? You probably shake their hand, don’t you? Aside from your appearance, your handshake is usually someone’s first impression of you.

Having a strong handshake will show the other person that you are confident in yourself and in the situation. Having a weak grip or handshake will show them the opposite. This is all especially true in a professional setting. A quality handshake can set the tone for your interview, your working relationship, and so on.

7. Don’t Speak Too Fast

Speaking slowly and clearly is key when it comes to portraying confident. We’re not talking about speaking in a monotone voice. But speaking too quickly or too low makes people think that you are not confident and that you’re definitely not confident in what you are saying. Not just that, but it also can lead to miscommunication, as people may not be able to hear you right or fully grasp what you are trying to say.

Speaking slowly and clearly rids you of this potential miscommunication and gets people seeing you as confident in what you are saying.

Another thing? Don’t rush what you’re saying. Instead, take the time to articulate your works and come up with the way you want to phrase what you are saying. If you do this, you’ll be sure to come up with better word choices that will have you exuding even more confidence.

8. Don’t Use Filler Words

Are you guilty of using words like “um” and “ah”? These are filler words. They do nothing for your conversation… except show the other person that you’re not really confident in whatever you are saying. So what should you do instead? Start embracing silence.

Silences aren’t “awkward” as you may be trained to think they are. They can actually be pretty powerful, especially when used to your advantage. Have a strategic silent pause in what you are saying. It will force whoever you are speaking to really think about whatever you just said.

Plus, by allowing a silence to happen, you’re really showing the other person or people that you’re confident in yourself and your abilities – you’re not afraid of any “awkward” silences!

9. Have Positive Thoughts

Confidence starts from within. Portraying confidence also starts from within. Fill your brain with positive thoughts. If you’re going into a new situation where you’re worried about the outcome – such as a date or an interview – focus on the positive outcome that could come of it, rather than the potential negative outcome.

To help you get into this positive mindset, here are some life-changing affirmations for confidence and success. Say some of these positive affirmations to yourself every day and your brain will be filled with much more positive thoughts than negative ones! This also leads to a more positive attitude and to you becoming a more confident individual!

A great way to also help with this is to work on eliminating negative self-talk from your mind. This, unfortunately, can lead to a lack of confidence in social situations. Our internal dialogue plays a huge role in our we portray ourselves so positive self-talk is part of the internal work and positive messages your brain needs to improve your confidence levels.

10. Celebrate Other People

We should all be supporting each other, not tearing each other down, and confident people know this. Insecure people are the ones who try and one-up others, who try to steal their spotlight. They’re the ones who need to tear people down just so they can feel better about themselves.

By celebrating other people and by supporting them, you’re showing that you’re not scared of their success – you’re happy about it. You’re confident enough in your own abilities and your own successes that it doesn’t matter to you what other people are doing. Plus, by being genuinely happy for other people, you are spreading kindness, and that will just get you feeling much happier, too. And happiness is one of the keys to having confidence, too!

Do You Portray Confidence?

So, there we have it—10 ways to show off your confidence no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

Remember, confidence isn’t about being perfect or never feeling nervous. It’s about embracing who you are, owning your strengths, and facing challenges head-on. Whether you’re starting a new project at work, giving a presentation to your team members, meeting new people, or just navigating everyday life, these tips can help you make a conscious effort to exude confidence and feel more comfortable in your own skin. So go ahead, try them out, and watch as your self-assurance shines through in every situation!

Let us know your biggest tip for confidence in the comments!

About the Author

Michelle graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelors of Arts ’13 and a Master of Arts ’14. She’s currently working in corporate America with a side of freelance writing. She wants you to learn from her experiences and mistakes so your 20s can be your best decade. When she’s not working, she’s likely planning her escape to a tropical island.