Woman (UK)

7 steps To BETTER selfworth

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1 Change your tone of voice

speaking confidentl­y means being heard but the tone of voice speaks volumes. inject warmth into your tone by smiling as you speak, and lowering the pitch while raising it in volume will work better than shouting.

2 watch your gestures

Fidgeting with your hands conveys nervousnes­s and is distractin­g to those around you. by contrast using your hands to support what you are saying can be both encouragin­g and inclusive.

3 Be your own best friend

thoughts are important and the best choice you can make is to think confidentl­y about yourself. Focus on what worked and use it. Don’t waste time on things that didn’t: review them, take what’s useful and move on.

4 Have an inner soundtrack

Put your best foot forward. as you power walk, connect with the ground in a positive way to reinforce your physical confidence. you know that song, the one that makes you feel strong? hear it in your head as you walk.

5 Perfect your handshake

shaking hands is a social convention and for women in the workplace it can be a useful tactic that promotes self-assurance and equality. always stand to shake hands and be the first to extend your hand, clasp firmly and shake once.

6 ‘Do’ small talk

many deride it but on social occasions where you’re meeting strangers it can help open conversati­on. Questions such as ‘how do you know the host?’ can lead to an initial exchange on which you can build.

7 Be an active listener

When we are actively listening we give the speaker non-verbal clues including mirroring facial expression­s, eye contact (but not staring) and smiling. so a gentle smile encourages the speaker to continue.

 ??  ?? ✱ I Want To Be Confident
by Harriet Griffey (£7.99, Hardie Grant) is out now
✱ I Want To Be Confident by Harriet Griffey (£7.99, Hardie Grant) is out now

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