| In life, many different circumstances help us to develop | | | | practice. The best place to start is with friends and |
| our self-confidence. How we dress and how we | | | | family. If you have children, notice how their attention |
| look to other people is very important. If we know | | | | increases if you read them a story with occasional |
| we look good we stand up straighter and smile | | | | eye contact as opposed to no eye contact. |
| more. If we know that the outfit we are wearing | | | | However, be careful not to develop an unrelenting |
| suits not only our colouring but our body shape and is | | | | stare since this sort of eye contact can conveys |
| suitable for the occasion then that comes over to the | | | | arrogance or hostility. Better to try and aim for a |
| people we meet. Only seven per cent of a | | | | balance between zero and constant eye contact. |
| person’s judgement of you is based on what you | | | | This you can do by briefly alternating periods of |
| say to them. The rest of their judgement is based on | | | | eye-to-eye contact with shifting your gaze. |
| your appearance and body language which includes | | | | If you find yourself in a situation where you need to |
| eye contact. | | | | speak to more than one person at a time, you must |
| One of the most obvious signs of a lack of | | | | remember to make contact and connect with each |
| self-confidence is the inability to be able to look people | | | | individual person in turn through separate eye |
| in the eye for long periods when talking to them. Eye | | | | contact. Larger groups can be more tricky but by |
| contact reveals a lot about you including your honesty | | | | working your way through different parts of the |
| or hostility or your enthusiasm or disinterest. If you | | | | audience with direct eye contact it’s amazing how |
| can’t look people in the eye, you appear to be | | | | much more attentive your audience will be and how |
| underconfident, people can think you are concealing | | | | much more respect and credibility you will gain. |
| something or that you are just not interested in them | | | | Eyes can talk, smile and express all sorts of emotions |
| and what they are saying. | | | | so remember to use them to their best advantage. |
| Anyone can improve their eye contact through | | | | A make-up lesson can add still further confidence. |
