Are you hiding yourself away for fear that if someone sees you, they won’t like you?

As I walk around in public places I see many people who although their body is present, the rest of them seems to be missing. They walk with their body stooped, rounding their shoulders as if to hide themselves. Their eyes look at the ground and although they glance up to see that they are in the right place, their eyes skitter away from contact with others so quickly its as if they expect to be rejected.

I love to touch someone else with a smile or hello, to brighten my day and theirs with a simple connection but many people are unwilling to participate.

What about you?

People are attracted to confidence and the truth is that if you shine your light other people will see your beauty and reflect it back to you.

I have a little experiment I would love you to participate in.

Next time you visit a shopping mall, pick up your kids from school or find yourself in any public place, try these 5 ideas and see what happens.

1. Realign your body

One of the most notable things about people who appear confident is their posture. They walk with their shoulders back, with their ribs lifted out of their belly and the back of their head in alignment with their spine. With your body straight you can breath more easily, you feel lighter and your walk is smoother.   This is such a simple way to appear confident even when you’re not feeling it. Try it in the mirror and see how different you feel when your body in in alignment.

2. Smile deliberately

 A smile makes all the difference in how you feel as well as how others respond to you. You don’t have to have a fixed wide smile but simply being aware of whether
your mouth tilts up at the corners or down can make all the difference. Even if your mouth naturally appears to droop at the corners, you can improve your smile muscles with a little practice. Go to the mirror and smile at yourself until you can do it without feeling awkward. Until you want to smile in return.

3. Make Eye Contact

If you have avoided eye contact with people for many years it may feel like a
challenge to lift your eyes and look around. Certainly you will see plenty of people who have no desire to look up but there are some great opportunities to meet someones eye with a ready smile in your own neighbourhood. Children will almost always meet your eye as they are naturally curious.

4. Think of a happy memory

When you think of a happy memory not only do the corners of your mouth lift but your eyes start to sparkle. Just the thought of happiness can transport you back to that moment and connect you to the feeling of joy. Gather some memories which bring a smile to your face and keep them front of mind. You will find that you can smile naturally and confidently when you can remember these throughout your day. When your eyes sparkle there is an aliveness that others can see and want to be around.

5. Expect to be liked

One of the fastest ways to let your light shine is to expect to be liked. If you are hiding then people will not see you. If you use the steps above and then choose to be likeable, you will find that people react differently toward you. I find that most people are perfectly willing to meet my eye with a ready smile but I know that this largely comes from me. It is my willingness to smile at them, to make their day a little brighter that brings it back to me.

Summary

It is the actions you take, the choices you make which create your reality. So if you want people to see you, if you want the opportunity to make a new friend, then you must be open to letting your light shine.

I can promise you it is worth the initial effort as the rewards far outweigh any embarrassment you may feel when you first start. And as you see others respond to your beautiful light, you will naturally become the light for others to see. x