The Power of Presence

• Introduction to The Power of Presence

• Being the loudest in the room doesn't make you the most confident. Voice coach and author, Patsy Rodenburg puts this best by describing how we’re always in one of three circles of presence.

• Where is Your Focus?

• We have a voice in our heads - the inner monologue that constantly comments on how we feel. The trouble is, this voice loves to focus on the negative, basing its opinion largely on inappropriate measures such as our fears and emotional state.

• Be Nice and Compliment

• Many of us focus on what we perceive as the negative side of our looks and personality. When we look in the mirror we search for the blemish. Of course, this can lower confidence and self-esteem. To help change a negative mindset, we must first notice the greatness of others, and in turn ourselves.

• How to Respond to a Compliment

• We all like to be praised, and yet how easy is it to deflect a compliment or even outright refuse it? Simply accepting a compliment can go a long way to improving your confidence.

• How Often Do You Say Sorry?

• For many of us, saying the word 'sorry' doesn't necessarily mean we’re feeling apologetic. It’s a word that we just mysteriously mutter when someone accidentally bumps into us, or sometimes randomly at the beginning of a sentence. Start noticing every time you use the word “sorry” and ask yourself, “Did I actually do anything wrong?”

• Talk to More People

• One of the greatest ways of developing your confidence is simply to get out there and meet new people. You can try to meet someone new every day or start conversations by simply saying 'hello'...

• It's All in The Smile

• When you smile, the world smiles too. That’s because mirror neurons in the brain make us smile in return. Prompting others to smile will make you more cheerful and relaxed. Research shows that smiling lowers the heart rate and helps you cope more effectively in stressful situations...

Fake It until You Make It

• The Power Pose

• Our body and mind are intrinsically connected. The way we stand, walk or hold ourselves changes the way we feel. For example, the Power Pose is used by people in need of instant confidence – before an interview, before delivering a presentation.

• The Posture Exercise Plan

• We hear it all the time – sit up straight if you want to come across well. Stand tall if you want to be taken seriously. Does slouching really have a negative effect?. According to a review of more than 100 studies, poor posture can be linked to: breathing problems | falls | depression.

• The Big Grin

• Ever find yourself in a mood where whatever happens, it’s bad news? You turn up to work and the smallest thing can feel like the world is about to end? Here’s a very simple exercise to help you build back your self esteem. An exercise you won’t believe until you try, and one you must commit to for it to work.

• Visualisation

• Visualisation is the act of imagining yourself undertaking an upcoming task and watching your future performance from the comfort of your own mind. Athletes use this technique regularly...

• Who is Your Confidence Role Model?

• Confidence isn't an unattainable goal owned by others. Instead, think of confidence as a result of many different factors. To have true confidence we must break down what these factors are and 'fake it, until we make it'.

• Are You Breathing?

• The secret to deep breath, and true relaxation, is hidden in the term “deep breath”.

• It's in the Environment

• We all tend to change depending on who we’re with and the environment we’re in.

• The Pep Talk

• The Pep Talk. You might have seen other people giving themselves a good talking to in front of the mirror before a big event, either in films or in real life. But have you ever done it? It may seem silly, but it’s a habit worth acquiring.

Look After Yourself

• Get Active

• Confidence and self esteem are connected to physical activity. There are countless studies connecting happiness to exercise, and most of us can appreciate the benefits – the difficulty is finding the self-motivation to get those running shoes on.

• Observe and Admire

• According to a recent study, when we judge ourselves we’re likely to do the same to others and take to heart what they say about us. All this judgement makes sustaining self-confidence difficult as it puts emotional, reactionary barriers in the way of gaining greater self control over your self-belief.

• Three Good Things

• Research has shown hat gratitude is vital to how good we feel both socially and psychologically. It raises overall satisfaction with life and helps create an overall positive outlook. Not only that, gratitude is linked to an increase in the ability to achieve our goals.

• A Positive Note

• People will often say good things about you, your work or attitude. But do you really hear them? The power of noting positive feedback in both home and work life can be incredibly rewarding – and will help you to achieve a healthier opinion of yourself.

• Your Are What You Eat

• When you have a good, balanced diet you are more likely feel balanced in yourself, and to have control over your feelings and actions. And some researchers think there’s a direct link between diet and serotonin levels.

• Your Confidence Buddy

• Some mornings we wake up and don’t feel comfortable in our own skins. It could be because something important is coming up, or we slept poorly, or we might be brooding about the way someone spoke to us the day before. Talking though how we’re feeling with someone we trust can help change our mindset quickly.

• Pump Up The Music

• We’ve all seen it, the athletes before a race, preparing for their moment of glory. Have you noticed how many of them are wearing headphones, eyes closed or steely in focus, gently nodding away to music? They seem to be pumping themselves up, with the intention of winning – of success.

• Dress to Impress

• Dress to impress. An obvious solution that’s often forgotten when we have lower self-esteem. However, dressing well makes it easier for us to feel good. We can look in the mirror and see the most confident version of ourselves.

Actions

• Actions

• Welcome to the last video of this course. Remember, confidence is a result of your behaviours. If you wish to better your confidence and self-esteem, you must first change the way you behave. Watch this short film for a recap of the key areas to address.