Your Energy Introduces You Before Your Words Do

How you present yourself physically has a significant impact on how you are perceived. Many times, your energy introduces you before your words ever do. People notice how you carry yourself, how you dress, and the nonverbal communication you are emitting. When you want to make a positive first impression, you must be intentional about the energy that you want to give off. Practice how you approach people, ensure you have a firm handshake, and introduce yourself confidently. When you appear self-assured, people tend to be more drawn to you.

According to the Association for Psychological Science*, it takes on average a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger from their face, and longer exposures do not significantly alter your first impression. This snap judgment is purely based on physical appearance, but specifically that of the person’s facial expression. It can be difficult to change your opinion of someone once you have made that judgment for a number of reasons, especially if you are a more intuitive decision maker. 

For example, you may find yourself falling victim to the phenomenon called confirmation bias. This is when you unintentionally seek out information about someone or something that confirms your pre-existing beliefs while ignoring anything that would contradict said beliefs. Perhaps someone was frowning when you first laid eyes on them, and therefore, your impression is that they are naturally pessimistic. From then on, your brain will automatically catalog instances of when they appear to be negative, and you will omit their optimistic behaviors. This is why first impressions make such a big difference in business.

You want to ensure that your nonverbal communication and your actual words are aligned, because this makes it easier for people to get a read on you. If you say you are happy to be here, but your body language indicates that you are closed off and do not want to be approached, then people may hesitate to take you at your word. If you want to present yourself as happy and confident, then keep your body language open, maintain eye contact, and pay attention to your facial expressions. Knowing how quickly you size other people up is a good reminder to be intentional about making a good first impression on others.

While this is something that we often do not think about consciously, it takes practice to carry yourself in a way that reflects what you intend for people to see. The next time you enter a room full of people, I challenge you to pause, take a deep breath, and decide how you want other people to feel based on their interaction with you. Then, make sure that your body language, eye contact, and overall presence reflect that choice. After all, your energy introduces you before your words do.

*Read more about first impressions from APS here.

-Meghan Slaughter