When we see a pretty woman walk into a restaurant or a handsome, seemingly successful man walking down the Wall Street, we are quick to assume a few things: they must be confident, often showered with compliments and spoiled with attention. However, that’s often just a cover-up. Their actual walk and body language can reveal a lot more things than their good looks, clothing or social media profile.
Yana German, a body language expert and founder of School of Walk, says that the actual confidence is reflected in your walk. “With the presence of social media and pressure from the society to fall into certain standards, it is very easy and common to create a likeable persona and hide behind it”, explains German. “However, sometimes people get too consumed by that and find themselves struggling or even falling into a depression. When my clients enter the room looking down with a short stride, a bunch of red flags go off”, continues German.
German, who studied all forms of body movement, says that by fixing the way we walk can dramatically improve one’s self-confidence and approach towards every day’s struggles. The way we walk sends a certain message to others and might create a misleading, sometimes negative impression. “Being aware of your body and connecting your mind to it is a key to boost your self confidence and overall well being”, says German.
One of the biggest red flags to someone struggling with confidence is walking while looking down, short strides and crossing arms. “Crossing your arms means you’re guarding yourself from someone, short strides signal vulnerability while looking down implies you’re uncomfortable and unwilling to explore your surroundings”, explains Yana. “Being confident means being fully aware of yourself and your environment ”. Just like you would give someone medicine to cure a disease, your walk can be fixed as well. “When your walk improves a lot of things follow: once walk is confident, you start feeling the same way and that shines from behind any insecurities you had”.
