For many years now, I’ve been coaching my public speaking clients to act as if they felt confident by embodying that feeling through how they sit, stand and walk.  These simple techniques serve to “trick” the mind into feeling comfortable and confidence while speaking.

Recently I watched a TED talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy who provides the science behind the chemistry in the body that, in fact, does “trick” the mind into feeling confident when we consciously stand or sit with confidence.  I’ve been encouraging all my clients to watch this video and here it is for you to check out:

This idea to act as if you feel confident is also echoed on an interview with singer Laura Gibson that I heard on NPR a while ago. She speaks about her willingness to “err on the side of confidence”.  Click here to read the interview.

For myself, I find that when I feel especially anxious about an event, the simple act of standing tall and walking as though I’m on top of the world will alter my inner experience and reduce my nervousness.  Try it out for yourself.  Why not “err on the side of confidence”?