Unlocking Your True Potential: Mastering Body Language and Building Confidence w/Ann Washburn & Braiden Belnap

Summary: In this episode of Journey to Authenticity, we dive deep into the world of body language and subconscious programming with keynote speaker and body language specialist Ann Washburn. Ann’s expertise in communication and personal development has transformed lives, showing how simple changes in the way we present ourselves can significantly impact our confidence, relationships, and success. While Ann shared fascinating insights, this blog will focus on general steps you can take to implement these strategies in your own life, without needing specialized knowledge.

Why Body Language Matters

Body language is a powerful, non-verbal tool that can reveal much about our emotions, confidence levels, and intentions. Whether you realize it or not, the way you hold yourself, make eye contact, and use gestures communicates volumes before you even say a word. By becoming more aware of your body language and learning how to control it, you can boost your confidence, make a stronger impression, and gain more control over your interactions.

Step 1: Become Aware of Your Current Body Language

The first step in mastering body language is self-awareness. Start paying attention to how you stand, sit, and move throughout the day. Are you slouching when you’re tired or feeling insecure? Do you cross your arms during conversations, signaling defensiveness or discomfort?

How to Become More Aware:

Check yourself throughout the day: Set a timer to go off every hour. When it does, check in with your posture. Are you standing tall, or are your shoulders slumped? How are you positioning your hands and feet? Are you making eye contact with people around you?
Ask for feedback: If you’re not sure how you come across, ask trusted friends or colleagues to observe your body language. They can offer insights into what signals you may be unintentionally sending.

Action Tip:

Spend the next 48 hours consciously checking in with your body language every hour. Make note of any patterns you observe.

Step 2: Adopt Confident Postures

Once you’ve become more aware of your current body language, it’s time to make intentional changes. Adopting confident body language not only makes you appear more self-assured to others, but it can also help you feel more confident. Research shows that the “power pose” and other open, expansive postures can actually lower stress hormones and boost confidence.

How to Adopt Confident Postures:

Stand tall: Keep your shoulders back, chest open, and head held high. Standing tall signals confidence and presence, even if you’re feeling nervous inside.
Open up your body: Avoid crossing your arms or legs during conversations. These closed-off postures can make you seem guarded. Instead, keep your arms relaxed at your sides and your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Use the “power pose”: Before a big meeting, presentation, or conversation, try standing in a power pose for two minutes. This could be standing with your hands on your hips or with your arms raised in a “V” shape above your head. This posture can help boost your self-assurance and prepare you to tackle any challenge.

Action Tip:

Each day, spend a few minutes practicing confident postures in front of a mirror. Start with the power pose and observe how it changes your energy.

Step 3: Use Eye Contact to Build Trust

Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of effective communication. It helps build trust, shows engagement, and signals confidence. However, it’s important to strike a balance—too little eye contact can make you seem disinterested, while too much can come off as intimidating.

How to Improve Eye Contact:

Practice in conversations: Start with brief glances during conversations, and gradually work your way up to maintaining eye contact for 3-5 seconds at a time. Look at the bridge of the other person’s nose if direct eye contact feels uncomfortable at first.
Mirror practice: Stand in front of a mirror and practice maintaining eye contact with yourself. This may feel awkward at first, but it’s a useful exercise in becoming comfortable with eye contact.
Pay attention to cultural norms: Different cultures have different expectations when it comes to eye contact. Be mindful of this, especially in diverse settings.

Action Tip:

During your next conversation, practice maintaining eye contact for a few seconds longer than usual. Notice how it changes the dynamic of the conversation.

Step 4: Master Your Facial Expressions

Your facial expressions are a key part of your body language and can significantly impact how others perceive you. For example, smiling can help you appear more approachable and friendly, while frowning can create distance between you and others.

How to Master Facial Expressions:

Smile genuinely: A genuine smile reaches the eyes, creating warmth and trust. Practice smiling in the mirror, focusing on engaging your eyes, not just your mouth.
Relax your face: Tension in the face can make you seem stressed or angry. Practice releasing tension in your forehead, jaw, and around your eyes to appear more relaxed and approachable.
Match expressions to emotions: Be mindful of how your facial expressions align with your emotions. If you’re trying to convey empathy, make sure your face reflects it by softening your eyes and tilting your head slightly.

Action Tip:

Spend a few minutes each day practicing smiling in front of a mirror. Aim for a smile that reaches your eyes to make it feel more natural.

Step 5: Incorporate Positive Gestures

Gestures can enhance your communication by emphasizing key points or making your message more engaging. However, uncontrolled or excessive gestures can be distracting, while a lack of gestures can make you seem stiff or disinterested.

How to Incorporate Positive Gestures:

Use open gestures: Open hand movements, especially those with palms facing up, signal openness and honesty. Avoid pointing or closed-fist gestures, as they can seem aggressive.
Keep gestures natural: Let your gestures flow naturally with your speech. Avoid overthinking them, as forced gestures can come across as insincere.
Use gestures to emphasize: Use hand movements to emphasize important points, but avoid excessive motion that might distract from your message.

Action Tip:

Practice giving a short speech or presentation in front of a mirror or camera, focusing on using open, natural gestures.

Step 6: Align Body Language with Verbal Communication

One of the most important aspects of mastering body language is ensuring that your non-verbal cues match what you’re saying. If your body language contradicts your words, it can create confusion or distrust in the minds of others.

How to Align Your Body Language:

Be mindful of contradictions: If you’re talking about something positive, but your arms are crossed and your face looks tense, your body language will undermine your message.
Stay congruent: Keep your body language consistent with your message. For example, if you’re discussing an exciting opportunity, show enthusiasm with open gestures, a smile, and an upright posture.

Action Tip:

Before important conversations or presentations, practice aligning your body language with your message. Record yourself speaking and observe whether your body language supports your words.

Step 7: Stay Mindful in Everyday Interactions

Finally, staying mindful of your body language during everyday interactions will help you build more confidence and better connections with others. Whether you’re in a meeting, having a casual conversation, or speaking in public, being aware of your body language ensures you communicate effectively.

How to Stay Mindful:

Pause and reflect: Before speaking, take a moment to check in with your body. Are you tense, or are you relaxed and open? Make adjustments as needed.
Stay present: Focus on the present moment during interactions, rather than getting lost in your thoughts or worries. Being present helps you stay in control of your body language.

Action Tip:

At the beginning and end of each day, take a moment to reflect on your body language during key interactions. Identify any areas for improvement.

By becoming more aware of your body language, adopting confident postures, and aligning your non-verbal communication with your words, you can take control of how you present yourself to the world. These simple yet powerful steps can help you gain more confidence, improve your relationships, and ultimately take control of your life.

Connect with us!

• Ann’s 3 audio book gifts :

Building a mind of steel (manage our negative thinking)

Perfection is a direction (how and why’s of getting past Perfectionism)

The Buckets List (how I kept myself moving and motivated when starting a new endeavor/how to reprogram how fear stops us)

3kegift.com/Ann

• Ann’s body Language Hotseat free registration: 3ke.to/hotseat

• Ann’s Tedx talk : 3ke.to/anntedtalk

• Ann’s Email: ann@3keyelements.com

Ann’s Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ann.washburn/

Braiden’s Website: https://www.braidenbelnap.com/

• Braiden’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braidenbelnap/