New research by UK credit card provider Vanquis shows that people who know their financial situation feel more empowered, no matter what they earn.
Feeling empowered can impact your body language too. One in three UK adults say they walk taller when they are in control of their money.
But what else can common body language clues tell us? And how might these link to our overall confidence and even bank balance? Behavioural expert Judi James reveals all.
Confident people play it straight
Crossed arms or legs can hint at internal tension. Same with common gestures like foot-tapping, pen-clicking or shifting your weight onto one hip. People who are truly confident will do none of these. Instead, they typically stand with their hands straight by their side and with their shoulders dropped and muscles relaxed. They will also use open hand gestures when speaking to enhance what they are saying and draw people in.
You can tell a lot from a walk
You might be able to hazard a guess about the state of someone’s finances by checking out how they walk. As well as standing taller, confident people don’t rush or overstride. Their movements are synchronised and purposeful, and their hands will swing gently back and forth as they walk.
The opposite is true when you’re not confident about your finances. But what is stopping you from boosting your bank account and your profits? You can easily generate maximum profits every day from the crypto market for example by using the crypto genius app. What’s holding you back?
First impressions count
A handshake is a great way to gauge confidence, from over-firm to slightly limp or clammy. Post-Covid-19 we have had to improvise a bit. New greetings include the elbow-bump, the wave and even a hello nod on video calls. Whatever you prefer, smooth and synchronised suggests confidence. Dithering or clumsy movements don’t.
Don’t forget the eye contact
Eye contact is an important tool. Typically, if people are feeling down or stressed about money, they won’t hold eye contact and will look down at their feet more. By comparison, confident people maintain eye contact when they are talking and are more expressive with their facial movements too.
And putting your hands in your pocket may suggest financial worry
We tend to keep our wallet or purse and often money in our pockets. So, if someone is consistently putting their hands in and out of them it may suggest that money is on their mind. People often also stuff their hands in their pockets as a self-protective prop when they are feeling tense or worried.
The findings have been released in celebration of Vanquis’ newly launched Walk Tall campaign.
