Your manner of walking and taking up physical space is one of the larger signs of confidence. Taking up space with confidence does not necessarily mean being big, loud, or dominating the space around you, but rather giving off the energy that you are comfortable in your own skin.
You can do this with your body posture, by standing tall, shoulders back, chest out and chin high. These non-verbal signals give you the impression of being more assertive, warm, and confident instantly.
Your posture speaks volumes: sit or stand wide & it says that you are not just ok with what/who you are, you are entitled to be there.
A comfortable stance that doesn’t retract or fold into itself seems confident while a more curled up stance; for instance, by hunching the shoulders or crossing the arms; suggests insecurity or lack of confidence.
More so than men, women are perceptive of body language, and able to detect confidence versus uncertainty in matter of seconds.
Even your physical actions can be a way of taking up space. Examples include sitting with your arm slung over the back of a chair, or standing with your feet hip-width apart, communicates comfortable power.
Without saying a single word, you make yourself more approachable and relatable to others.
But there has to be a balance. So yes, you want to take up space, but no, you do not want to be intimidating. It’s relaxed rather than territorial, confident — not aggressive.
Make sure you do not stand with your legs too spread apart or lean in too aggressively, because that can come off as menacing rather than inviting. Instead, project an air that suggests you feel comfortable and at home wherever you happen to be.