Last year’s World Economic Forum Gender Pay gap report stated that gender parity won’t be attained for another 99.5 years!
When I give talks and workshops with companies to help with visibility, promotion and confidence in the corporate sphere and beyond, I hear time and time again that brilliant women are still not standing up and speaking up enough, especially moving in Executive C-Suite level positions…
Here are 3 super easy steps to immediately improve your confidence that go beyond an amazing outfit – because style isn’t just about what you wear, it’s about how you wear it and what attitude you wear it with!
1. Before you go into an important meeting you want to calm down and centre yourself – you can look amazing in your perfectly put together outfits, but if you’re not wearing it with the right mental attitude in your presentation, that will change the impression that other people have of you.
You often hear the advice of taking deep breaths before you go into an important event or meeting, but sometimes when you’re feeling a little nervous or anxious, it can be really difficult to take those really deep deep breaths that are going to be the most beneficial and calming. A great tip is to get your favourite perfume – you could even get a specific fragrance that you designate as your power perfume, which you only use before you’re going to give speeches, presentations, or important negotiations – moments where you want to feel powerful in a work capacity.
Spritz your perfume in front of you, and breathe it in! B R E A T H E! Take that big breath to inhale the perfume!
In my Next Level You method, we work with the neuroplasticity of the brain, to change belief systems, through our engagement with our possessions as a physical manifestation of our desires, and intentionality – using objects, the clothes and accessories we choose to wear, and the stuff we surround ourselves with in our homes and at work to empower us to be our next level selves. Of course, perfume is such a personal pleasure – so don’t just wear one because it was given to you (or hastily selected at an airport store,) but take the time to carefully choose that power perfume with intention!
If you’re presently stuck indoors, try the sample service from BLOOM Perfumery in London – it’s a great way to try out smells from smaller houses and fragrance brands that you may not have heard of! Warning – the website has Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole levels of addiction!
My personal power perfume is a Serge Lutens perfume called Santal Majuscule, which has quite a strong woody scent. I just spritz the air and breath it in, and it helps me to take those really deep yummy breaths.
Obviously, don’t spray it on just before a meeting – you don’t want anything to detract from your work – rather you want you and what you’re saying to be the main event and not your smell! There’s also the issue of unwanted allergies – you don’t want your client to be sniffing and sneezing through your presentation!
2. Something else that you can do to put yourself more at ease, is to look at something that makes you smile!
I suggest my clients start a smile folder on their phones for quick reference. No one’s judging you – put whatever raises the corners of your mouth or makes you chuckle in there!
It could be someone you love – your children, your partner, your father, your grandmother…the reason why you’re putting the hours in at work maybe…
It could be a cat video – animals doing silly stuff that you found on youtube ( cat-walk anyone?) – or some screen shots from your favourite funny instagram account (@punhubonline is a personal favourite – dad jokes ahoy!)
Just take a little quick peek at one of those things before you go into the meeting, and get that twinkle in your eye going (of course, there’s also the option to think of something, a-hem, completely different that makes you smile from inside…but I’ll leave that to your imagination!)
photograph by Fabrice Malard
3. The third thing that you can do, is to get into your body…sometimes when we start to feel anxious, our shoulders start to hunch up, and our body starts to go a bit rigid, and that’s not going to help us to appear strong, open and inviting and warm, or to embody our own power…So take some shoulder rolls backwards and forwards…move the head and neck sideways from side to side – and holding it gently with your hand pull it towards your shoulder, and then give your body a quick shake.
Now that you’ve grounded yourself from the inside out, you’ll stand firmer on your feet whatever you’re wearing – and feel more in confident, in control and are ready to go!
Do you have any quick confidence boosting tips to share? I’d love to hear from you! Let me know in the comments below, or drop me an email at aleksandra@the-style-whisperer.com
And if you’re ready to explore all sides to yourself (some of which may have been hidden for years!) and to uplevel your style and confidence into your next chapter in life, whether you’re in your 40, 50s or beyond – to feel full of that delicious sense of self-assured confidence that comes when you’re really being you – ready for any occasion, both professional and personal…then book a complimentary style session here.
Best Love, Aleksandra
