15 Ways To Look Strong

Gone are the medieval days when the strong were those who hunted bears, rode into battles as knights, had the protection of vassals, or acted as proper ladies. In modern times, strength has taken a different meaning. The strong, in most cases, are those that project the most confidence and wield their charisma like a weapon. The survival of the smoothest is the new Darwinian principle. To look strong, you have to be confident or at least appear to be at first glance.

The new social structure might be easier; no more hunting bears and fighting wars. On the contrary, it got a tad bit difficult for a lot of people. Some are born with a natural charm and confidence, but most have to live without these qualities. Believe it or not, life can be harder without them. But it doesn't have to be that way. It is possible to look strong by practicing a few tricks whenever you are with friends, family, or strangers, because it is possible to appear confident even when you are nervous. You can come off as a strong person without actually feeling strong. You can achieve your goals and even become a better person.

Here are 15 ways to look strong. Welcome to Alux.

Number one: go out with friends. Humans are social animals, and our relationships with others play a big role in our lives. We like to know that others like us or feel we are social enough to want to be around us. Also, we decide whether we want to be around others if we see other people interacting with them. This is called social validation and it is a shortcut to being strong and powerful, even when you are not talking to anyone. By simply having people around you or talking to you, others gravitate toward you. When you go out to a bar, party, or social event, have friends for company. You can take it a step further and invite female friends if you are a man, or male friends if you're a woman. That could be married relatives or colleagues at work. It doesn't matter; having them around you becomes a means of social validation, and others would notice that. Having friends around you will make you feel safer, keep you conversing and smiling, and also get the attention of others. Being able to get people's attention is a sign of power.

Number two: exploit the Red Sneakers effect. The Red Sneakers effect was popularized in 2014 by a study conducted by Harvard Business School. It showed that by breaking the rules in certain circumstances, you gain the respect of others and look strong. For example, you can walk into a board meeting wearing a hoodie, while everyone else is wearing a suit, or maybe a turtleneck. Yes, that illusion was to Steve Jobs, the iconic founder of Apple. It is also a reference to Silicon Valley, where several CEOs have quirks or eccentric traits that make them stand out in their companies. According to Harvard, this is a way of saying they do not have to follow the rules because they have power. By breaking the rules, they show their high status within the company. Unfortunately, the Red Sneakers effect does not apply to every situation or setting. To pull it off, you should have both confidence and sufficient power to get off with it. Nevertheless, it is important to note that confidence is self-fulfilling; acting confident and strong will make you confident and strong.

Number three: wear a power suit. The power suit and tie are a symbol of business worldwide, thus it represents power in a capitalist society like ours. Wearing a suit shows that you mean business and will get you respected wherever you go. Your suit should be fitted, with a good tie and polished shoes. In general, if you intend to play the role of a powerful man, then do not go halfway. Put on a good suit tailored to fit your body and accessorize properly. You will look strong and capable when you walk into the office.

Number four: dress well. What if you are going to a get-together, not an office? This is where the next piece of advice is key: dress well. You don't have to wear a three-piece suit or a designer shirt to look good. You also don't need flashy jewelry, gold teeth, and ten thousand dollar Nikes to get people to admire your outfit. Dressing well is more about wearing clothes that fit your body than putting on a designer shirt with a "look at me" inscription. Know your body type and dress for it. Don't wear shirts that are too short or trousers that don't reach your ankles. If you are a short person, try to avoid baggy clothes. Wear colors that complement your skin tone, for example, black or gray shirts. If you are light-skinned, dressing well increases attractiveness, and we naturally ascribe good qualities to attractive people. It is a sure way to walk into a room and be seen as a strong person.

Number five: box breathe. The Box breath technique is used by Marines, the Navy, and even astronauts during blast off. It consists of four steps: first, you breathe in while counting to four. When you inhale, you must hold your breath for another four seconds. Next, you breathe out for four and hold your exhale for four seconds. When you box breathe, things slow down, and you can then become more rational and analytical. The technique helps you gain inner confidence, and having that can easily project outwards and make you look strong.

Number six: listen to high bass music. It is not unusual to suddenly lose energy when you're about to do something nerve-wracking, like going on stage, for example. You want to be full of energy; you want to be psyched up. In these situations, doing box breaths would be of little help. One way to pull through is to listen to high bass music. Kellogg School of Business researched the effect of high bass music on our confidence. It divided participants into two groups; one of the groups listened to high bass, while the other listened to low bass music. After listening, they had a debate, and 34 percent of those that listened to the high bass music asked to start the debate, in comparison to 20 percent of the low bass music listeners who made the same request. Since debate openers are seen as more aggressive, it can be implied that listening to high bass music boosts our self-confidence. A good proof of this is that athletes usually listen to such music before entering a game.

Number seven: stand tall. Good posture has a lot of physical benefits, such as easy breathing, better back support, and prevention of back pain. But even more, it makes you look and feel strong. People who slouch or have withdrawn body movements are seen as uncertain and lacking confidence. Keep your shoulders back and straighten your spine. Push your chest forward a little and raise your chin higher. It's best to do these in moderation; pushing your chest too forward would make you look boastful, and raising your chin too high can be interpreted as arrogance.

Number eight: make eye contact. Making eye contact is one of the hardest things for most people to do in public. They would rather look at the ground or their phones. However, you must understand that making eye contact is vital for increasing your perceived confidence. Avoiding eye contact can make you look inattentive or even raise suspicions about you. When speaking, look into the listener's eyes. If you're in a crowd, don't just make eye contact with one person but alternate between them. Also, observe the three-second rule and do not stare at anyone for more than three seconds. Staring longer may make you look a little creepy.

Number nine: fidgeting. A lot of people fidget without ever knowing they are doing so. Fidgeting is done in various ways by different people. It could be a nervous leg jiggle, flailing hands while speaking, or repeating certain words. Some people adjust their standing position or not excessively. Take control and stand still, but not rigidly; only move deliberately with intention in mind. If you fidget unconsciously, practice speaking to friends and get them to make you aware of any quirks they notice in your movement.

Number ten: speak slowly and clearly. Hurried speech or a low tone makes you appear less confident. You leave the impression that you either want to say everything at once or would rather not speak. You may also say things you do not mean or make verbal slip-ups that can be embarrassing. The solution is to speak slowly and clearly. Speaking slowly gives you time to make better word choices, and you will feel confident. Practice recording your speech on a phone, which you can play back and listen to. Articulate words clearly and speak loudly. When you do these in a social gathering, you look strong and confident.

Number eleven: allow silence. Awkward silence is often denounced by many as a sign of a bad conversation. On the contrary, a little bit of silence does not harm. Silence can serve different purposes in a conversation; you can use it to let an important statement sink in or allow it before replying to someone to let the person know you were listening. Use silence to your advantage; it allows for consideration and shows you are a confident speaker, so don't neglect it.

Number twelve: use your hands. As long as you are not fidgeting, hand gestures are a powerful way to look strong when speaking to others. Your hands say a lot about you, even if you don't know they do. Gesticulate as you speak; keep your hands visible and occasionally touch your listener on the shoulder or wrist if the situation warrants it. Too much or inappropriate touching will offend and is not what you want. Once again, keep your hands visible; don't put them in your pockets, fold them, or keep them behind you.

Number thirteen: walk confidently. You do not have to watch YouTube tutorials on how to walk confidently; all you need to do is take wide and sure-footed steps rather than hurried steps. When you enter, exit, or move around in a room, avoid the temptation to take hurried steps. If it will help, count your steps and force yourself to walk in sync with your counts. Keep your body posture aligned and take deliberate steps. You will not only project strength, but you will also attract others, as they will easily pick up on your confidence.

Number fourteen: go to the gym. Muscles are the stereotypical indicator of strength. By putting in work at the gym, you will become toned and instantly look strong wherever you are. Exercising does not have to be a regimen for war; you don't need to lift dumbbells and spend 6 to 12 hours at the gym doing push-ups. Morning jogs at least twice a week will suffice. The goal is not to get a bodybuilder's body, but to become more visibly strong in the right places.

Number fifteen: believe you own the room. Like I said earlier in the video, confidence is self-fulfilling. When you begin to act confident, you begin to be confident. To look strong, you have to be seen as capable of commanding some level of power. One of the ways to do so is to believe you have that power. We live in a world where you are guilt-tripped if you act better than everyone; only stars and celebrities are granted this privilege, it seems. But it would be best if you didn't fall into the conformity trap. You are unique, with abilities and knowledge that only you know of. You may not be better than everyone else, and do not interpret confidence for arrogance, but believing you are strong will make you look strong. By just changing your mindset, you are on your way to truly becoming strong and confident.

We have gone through all 15 ways to look strong, but here is bonus advice for staying until this point.

Number sixteen: wear red. Red is one of the most eye-catching colors, and for some reason, most people associate it with power. So incorporate the color into your outfit; it could be a tie, handkerchief, or even a red baseball cap if you're going for a casual look. However, try to keep it moderate. It would help if you only had a touch of red and did not go for an all-red splash; you may end up looking like an emergency siren.

Here we draw the curtain on another insightful episode. Thank you for sticking with me to the end. Please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and turn on the notification bell to stay informed about new updates. Thanks for watching! I'll see you in the next video.