Confidence is not always easy to have in social settings, especially when meeting new people. In 2021, a YouGov study found that 37% of Americans reported feeling “not very confident” in new social groups. But there may be a simple gesture that can help you appear more confident. During a recent episode of communication expert Jefferson Fisher’s podcast, he sat down with Dr. Shadé Zahrai, PhD, a confidence expert and author of Big Trust: Rewire Self-Doubt, Find Your Confidence, and Fuel Success. Dr. Zahrai shared a body language gesture that can help indicate if a person is confident or not. She explains the tell-tale sign is in the upper body. “The distance between the chin and your chest,” she tells Fisher. View this post on Instagram What confident body language looks like Dr. Zahrai explains why the distance between the chest and chin can indicate confidence. “When you’re slouching, when you’re withdrawing, when you feel insecure, yeah sure shoulders go…but it’s also your head that drops,” she says, gesturing her head to tilt downwards. “So if you can just think, ‘Okay, what is the distance between my chin and my chest, and how do I elongate it? Not by looking at the ceiling, but in a natural state, you will naturally feel more empowered.” Dr. Zahrai suggests that this also builds a sense of trustworthiness between others that will encourage connection. “And you will naturally convey more of that big trust energy that we’re seeking,” she adds. “The idea is when you’re showing up as the person you want to be, people then respond to that.” She notes that it has a snowball effect and can feel contagious to people you interact with. “They respond more positively to that, which then makes you feel, ‘Maybe I really do deserve this. Maybe I do have a voice that is valued’,” she shares. “And then you show up more like that, and then they respond. So we almost create our environment based on how we choose to show up.” According to Dr. Zahrai, this gesture is a term called “neck flexion.” View this post on Instagram What is neck flexion? The source for Dr. Zahrai’s confidence body language suggestion comes from a 2025 study published in the journal Psychophysiology. Researchers found a direct correlation with neck flexion (the act of lowering the head) to negative impacts on feelings of power (i.e. confidence) as well as lower moods. Dr. Zahrai expanded on this during another podcast appearance delving into neck flexion research, where she explained that it “leads us to feel more insecure, more doubtful of our ourselves. All we need to do is lengthen this distance right here [as she’s signaling with her fingers between her chin and chest], and we will start to feel more powerful.” How to feel confident besides body language Body language may be one aspect to feeling more confident, but these are a few more tips from the American Psychological Association (APA) that may help boost your confidence: Try self-affirmations Research supports self-affirmations for better personal and social well-being. You can do this by reflecting on your core values, identity, and positive traits. Celebrate your successes Confidence without impostor syndrome can be achieved by reminding yourself of both big and small personal “wins”—things like receiving an email with positive feedback or not moving on too fast when someone congratulates you. Build your resilience Building resilience is an important part of building confidence in yourself. The APA notes that there are four parts to building resilience: connection, wellness, healthy thinking, and meaning. These include things like continuing to connect with others through empathy, taking care of your body, moving towards goals, and learning from the past to build a more confident future. The post A confidence expert shares a simple body language gesture that signals if a person is trustworthy and confident appeared first on Upworthy.