Confidence is not just a feeling.
Confidence can be many things and often, it can take different forms.
The way you act, speak and behave are all expressions of confidence. Since they are mostly routine, many of these actions occur at your subconscious.
There are certain modes you default to whenever you feel comfortable or relaxed. For instance, you probably won’t feel as nervous giving a toast at a dinner party as you would a speech at a major conference.
Unless there is an immediate threat or drastic change in the surrounding environment, our bodies naturally lapse into our default setting. As a result, our confidence levels will vary depending on the situation.
I remember the time I got on stage to give my TED Talk. Even though I struck a composed figure on video, I was actually a bundle of nerves.
Despite years of experience competing in front of thousands at sold out arenas and stadiums, I felt exposed.
For the first time, I couldn’t lock in on the man opposite from me because there was none. This was a university, not a cage.
I was flushed and anxious. My eyes darted back and forth, trying in vain to avert the gaze of the surprisingly rapt audience.
According to body language expert Mark Bowden, my reaction is fairly unsurprising.
Like anyone new to public speaking, this was unfamiliar territory and my lack of confidence was expected.
The Connection Between Body Language And Confidence
During his appearance on Quite Franklin, I probed Bowden on the correlation between body language and confidence.
He proceeded to reveal a powerful secret that had me doing some serious navel-gazing over the next few days.
For survival’s sake, humans are programmed through our instincts to be able to read certain body languages.
For instance, the opening in the navel area, Bowden says, is a key signal of a person’s confidence and disposition.
How this came to be is a matter of evolution as he further detailed on the podcast.
“We are upright hominids, and if Darwin is accurate, we are descended from ground dwelling mammals,” Bowden explains.
“In terms of our protection, we’ve got this soft belly area, which means we can duck and run and manoeuvre ourselves around obstacles, around predators and towards prey.”
However, that leaves us vulnerable in the belly area.
How Behaviors At or Near Navel Height Demonstrate Confidence
So if you are open in your belly area, and not concave, it’s because your instinct is saying, there are no predators around here, this is totally safe.
Remember what I said about our bodies assuming default postures and positions? Well, this opening of the belly is your response to a low threat environment.
Since the prehistoric days, open palm gestures carried non-threatening connotations. It meant no weapons or tools or predators.
Similarly, open behaviors at navel height signals to us that there are no threats, and that we are safe.
Why Is The Navel Region So Important?
The navel region where your belly sits is also your body’s center of gravity.
If you can control someone else’s center of gravity, you have a huge advantage in a fight.
Any changes in the location of your opponent’s center of gravity will affect their balance. If performed correctly, you could even successfully disarm someone and de-escalate a situation before it ever turns violent.
If your center of gravity permanently changes, it could have severe implications, also on your posture and stability.
Since the force of gravity acts downwards, you are always pushing through your heels to stand upright.
“If you get excited, I’m going to expect that you’re just going to rock up on your heels a little bit,” Bowden says.
“Your brain gets excited and positive. Rocking up on your heels is a way of showing gravity that you can fundamentally beat it.”
In other words, it’s another expression of confidence that stems from your navel region.
So what would give you the biggest advantage when reading someone’s body language?
That would be looking at their navel area.
Is it concave or convex? In what direction is it going?
Does it look like its beating gravity or being subdued by gravity?
Does it look like its pushing down to get closer to the earth or does it look buoyant and up and floating higher?
Remember, your navel is not just a physical sign of confidence and disposition to yourself but also to others around you.
Hopefully with these tips, you will start paying attention to your belly and feel more confident again.