Download Article
Download Article
Walking with confidence is a great way to create a great first impression or simply demonstrate your confidence to the world without saying a word. It's easy to fall into bad habits like slouching and looking down when you are in an uncomfortable situation, but these habits can make you seem nervous or scared. If you want to work on your walk in order to appear more confident, there are some simple strategies that you can use. Keep reading to learn how to walk confidently!
Steps
-
Develop a dressing ritual. Laying out your clothes the night before a big event can help you during the event. By laying out your clothes, you can identify any issues with what you plan to wear (lint, loose threads, etc.). This ritual can also help increase your confidence by giving you a chance to visualize how you will look at the event. [1] X Research source
-
Practice walking. Aim to walk for 30 minutes per day at least three times per week to improve your stride. As you practice walking, remember to stand tall, keep your arms at your sides, and take long brisk steps. The exercise will do you good and your walk will also improve as a result.Advertisement
-
Practice power posing. Standing tall with your arms and legs spread out wide will help you to feel more confident. This type of dominant pose also reduces cortisol and increases testosterone, which will add to your confidence. Take a moment to duck into bathroom stall or empty room and power pose for a minute before you need to walk confidently. [2] X Research source
-
Distract yourself from negative emotions. If you are nervous, don't focus on how nervous you are because that will only make you more nervous. Instead, distract yourself by looking at humorous images on the internet or talking to a friend who is good at making you laugh. [3] X Research source
- You can also try a distraction technique like trying to count down from 100 by 7. You can also pick a color, and look around the room to find all the objects that you can that contain that color.
-
Keep mouthwash on hand to quickly freshen your breath. Always keep a small bottle of mouthwash on hand to quickly swish away bad breath and brighten your smile. This small ritual will eliminate any fears you may have had about bad breath or food stuck in your teeth and allow you to walk more confidently.
- Some people recommend chewing a piece of ginger. This both helps keep your breath fresh, and may help you relax. [4] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
-
Check the news for ice breakers. Being in the know can also boost your confidence by giving you some interesting topics to bring up in conversations with strangers. Just steer clear of bringing up anything too depressing or politically divisive. Stick to lighter topics that you think others might find interesting.
Advertisement
-
Smile as you walk and keep smiling. Smiling projects your confidence and makes you seem approachable as well. [5] X Expert Source Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview. 15 July 2020. You don't need to sport a huge grin, just a subtle smile will do. Try not to force your smile. Instead, showcase your natural smile as you walk. [6] X Research source -
Stand up straight. A hunched appearance projects a lack of confidence. Instead, walk straight and tall to seem confident. As you walk, keep your shoulders back and lift up your chin slightly. [7] X Expert Source Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview. 15 July 2020. You can test your posture by holding a pencil in each hand and making a fist. Let your arms fall loosely at your sides. If the pencils face inward (towards you), then you are hunching your shoulders. Shift your shoulders back until the pencils face forward to see how your ideal posture should be while you walk. [8] X Research source -
Walk briskly. A brisk walk projects confidence, while walking slowly makes you seem preoccupied with your own thoughts. To seem more confident when you walk, adopt a brisk pace. Try practicing walking to the beat of a favorite quick paced song to help you develop your brisk walk. [9] X Research source
-
Lengthen your stride. Walking silently makes you seem meek or afraid, so don't tiptoe or walk silently. A bit of noise is good when you want to walk confidently. It demonstrates that you want to be seen because you are confident in your appearance. [10] X Research source
-
Keep your arms at your sides. Crossing your arms while you walk makes you seem vulnerable, so don't cross your arms. Allow your arms to fall loosely at your sides and move them back and forth slightly as you walk. Keep your posture open, as this helps others see you and friendly and approachable. [11] X Research source
-
Don't walk closely behind someone. Walking right behind someone that you came with can send the message that you are weaker than that person and that you require protection. If you will be walking with someone, make sure that you are in front of the person or at least side-by side. [12] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Greet people as you walk into a room or down a hallway. Make eye contact with people you know as well as strangers. [13] X Expert Source Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview. 15 July 2020. Introduce yourself if you haven't met before, but only offer your first and last name at first. Simply say, “Hi, I'm ___ ____.” Then wait for the other person to speak. Stopping at your name will make you seem more confident and intriguing. [14] X Research source- A strong handshake will also demonstrate your confidence and competence. [15]
X
Expert Source
Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
- A strong handshake will also demonstrate your confidence and competence. [15]
X
Expert Source
Sandra Possing
-
Use your hands when you talk. Gesticulating will keep you from doing things like putting your hands into your pockets or fidgeting. These gestures demonstrate nervousness and gesticulating while you talk will have the opposite effect. You will seem more confident and powerful by using your hands while you talk. [16] X Research source
-
Choose an interesting object or painting to focus on. Pick something that is at eye level. If you begin to feel nervous, look at this spot to keep yourself from looking down at the floor.
-
Breathe deeply. If you begin to feel overwhelmed or anxious, force yourself to take five deep breaths. Breathing deeply will not only calm you down, it will also increase your alertness so that you can continue to be at your best. If you are giving a presentation, take five deep breaths right before you begin to speak.
- Try slowing down your speech by about half a second. This will help you breathe deeper and sound more calm as you speak. Practice by reading a book out loud and going just a little slower than you normally would.
- Make sure that your voice sounds loud enough. [17]
X
Expert Source
Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
-
Ask questions. When you are meeting new people, the best way to keep the conversation going is to ask questions and listen intently. Ask things like, “What do you do?” “What do you think of the party?” “What are you working on currently?” “Where are you from?”
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionHow can I be confident?Dawn Smith-Camacho is the Owner of Whole Life Solutions, a business in which Dawn provides professional speaking on effective decision-making and navigating major changes for entrepreneurs and employees. She also supports individual coaching clients by identifying their core values, managing time, prioritizing, and honing in on their ideal path. Her clients include Vistage, UNICEF, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Wedding Industry Professionals Association (WIPA), NACE, and Oracle.To help yourself feel more confident and positive, try incorporating a practice like meditation, breathing exercises, or gratitude journaling into your daily life. For instance, each night before you go to bed, reflect on what your day was like. Then, identify the best part of your day, the worst part of your day, and one thing you're proud of yourself for.
-
QuestionHow do I make my point in a group of people?Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.Try engaging in the slow talk technique mentioned in this article to help get your point across clearly.
-
QuestionHow should I walk in front of others as I am afraid?Community AnswerDon't be afraid, though we all know we have weaknesses or faults we should think that nobody is perfect. We make mistakes. We all have talents and good quality. Don't be afraid. Challenge yourself to be brave than to be weak.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Tips
- Try sipping a cup of chamomile tea to calm down before you need to walk confidently. Taking a moment to sip a cup of some calming herbal tea, such as chamomile, may help you to calm down and project your confidence more effectively as you walk.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3604064/
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/what-your-walk-says-about-you-quick-study_n_1497198
- ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/what-your-walk-says-about-you-quick-study_n_1497198
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/subliminal/201205/how-we-communicate-through-body-language
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enter-a-room-with-confidence-1583518887
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To walk with confidence, stand up straight and keep your shoulders back to maintain good posture. You should also keep a smile on your face to project confidence and make yourself seem more approachable. Additionally, remember to keep your arms loose at your sides and swing them slightly while you walk. Then, move briskly from one place to the next so that you don’t seem lazy or preoccupied. If you can help it, avoid walking closely behind someone, which sends the message that you’re weaker than the person in front of you. To learn how to practice power posing to boost your confidence, read on!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 284,381 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I used to be that isolated kid in the eyes of society, turns out my attitude was driving people away - now that I smile, give out compliments, look like a model, know my audience and believe that I am the greatest, people I hardly know Whatsapp me trying to date me, neighbors' daughters are crazy about me, the people I thought were intimidating seem lower than me, and I can confidently say I am confident and I am boss. For all seeking such awesome experiences, be the best you can be. Cheers." ..." more
Advertisement
85%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"I used to be that isolated kid in the eyes of society, turns out my attitude was driving people away - now that I smile, give out compliments, look like a model, know my audience and believe that I am the greatest, people I hardly know Whatsapp me trying to date me, neighbors' daughters are crazy about me, the people I thought were intimidating seem lower than me, and I can confidently say I am confident and I am boss. For all seeking such awesome experiences, be the best you can be. Cheers."
..."
more
"The point which gave a relaxed posture and stated that it should be practiced before walking into a room was the best. Thanks for the help. Every time I wanna know how to do something, I refer to wikiHow. It is the best. You're doing a great job."
..."
more
"The problem that I faced from time to time was a shy attitude toward strangers and that included the interviewing panel as well. This wikiHow article helped me get that out and the power pose thing really works."
..."
more
"The thing that help me is that when I would feel extremely nervous, instead of looking down I would focus on some painting."
..."
more
"I found looking at an object at eye level, making gestures as I speak and walking fairly noisily very helpful"
