Before I dive into the how, let's dissect the statement ''Boost your confidence''. To boost means to improve, and in this case I'm referring to improving through understanding, not through ''hacks''. By ''confidence'' I mean showcasing capacity; radiating ability to your external environment.
To get a deeper understanding of what confidence is, we need to zoom into our directive as a species and as an individual. As a species we are highly social, and we send out social cues every time we communicate with one another. As an individual we communicate our ability to reproduce to the opposite sex, and our level of capacity at violence towards mostly the same sex.
This article is meant to give you an idea what you as an individual can do action-wise to feel and look more confident.
Confidence towards the opposite sex
As mentioned before, a major driver of our behavior is to procreate -- Men and women have a fundamentally different role to play in this. Women often act as a jury; to determine the level of competence of a male. Men often as the examined; to be judged by women -- This is why confidence in men is often completely opposite to that of women.
Confidence towards the same sex
The major driver behind confidence in relation to the same sex is that of competition; to earn a position in our social hierarchy, and thus potentially have access to more resources -- A critical mistake is to view this as ''survival of the fittest''
What is being considered during an assessment
Before I dive into specifics, note that men and women look at different constitutions of a male or female -- That being said, they do often overlap.
Eyes
Do you engage in short-term eye contact, do you look away by choice or by force and do your eyes show signs of sympathetic activity?
Neck
The neck is especially interesting to other competing males as it indicates capacity at violence & aggression
Hair
The lushness, thickness and general signs of health in your hair is particularly interesting to potential mates, as this is a clear signs of procreation ability.
Skin
Like your hair, skin is also a clear indication of health, which is particularly interesting to women.
Position of scapula
The scapula (shoulder blades) are a clear sign of your current physical structure and emotional state. The four positions are; protraction (rolling forward), retraction (pulled back), elevation (pulled up) & depression (pulled down). Considering that the position of your scapula has such a strong correlation to your emotional state, it is of interest to both sexes.
Electromagnetic field of the heart
Your heart exerts a powerful field that can be read by any organism that is nearby, especially those in tune with their nervous system (females).
The main information that is being shared via your EMF (electromagnetic field) is decoherence (chaos) or coherence (stability)
Smell
Smell is of particular interest to females as it indicates much about the immune system as well as the microbiota of a male. It is said that having an immune system & microbiome that is complementary to the opposite sex will increase the likelihood of healthy offspring.
Jaw
The jaw and all the muscles connected to the process of mastication (chewing) are a very clear sign of capacity at violence & aggression -- This is both interesting for males & females.
Stance
The way you position yourself via either standing firm or leaning to one side are of great interest to the same sex as it indicates the state of the nervous system -- It indicates whether you are in freeze, flow, fight or flight.
Fluency of movement
Fluency of movement indicates both competency and the state of your nervous system, where incompetence and a state of flight are being made visible through a high degree of co-contractions, and the opposite through a flowing of.
Intonation
Intonation of voice is of interest to both sexes as it clearly indicates intent. A deep voice with plenty of pauses showcases confidence and a high social status -- A high pitches voice for males with stuttering and irregular pauses indicates weakness.
Stability of the body
Stability indicates strength in a male which is of great interest to other males and of interest to females with the intent of giving birth.
Muscle mass
General muscle mass is of interest to males, and hypertrophy (muscle growth) in particular tissue is of interest to females as it can indicate capacity at being a protector
Fat deposits
Where fat deposits are located is a clear sign of your hormonal system, where fat deposits around the hips and the upper body are generally positive, and fat deposits around the midsection are generally negative.
What can you do to increase the perceived confidence as a man
There is much you can do to increase your confidence, but to keep things simple, I will focus on the most effective routines & behaviors -- Actions that can readily be integrated into your life.
Learn how to fight
You might not consciously know this, but during every social interaction every, there is the chance of a physical altercation. If you do not actively update your prediction on a positive outcome during a physical altercation, your confidence in social situations will take a great hit.
Engage in load bearing activities
Your body & mind are constantly transferring information to one another, and a body that can bear load tends to create a stable mind.
Carrying unstable weight is particularly effective at creating stability in your physical structure.
Get natural light on your skin
Not only will you look more attractive to the opposite sex, your endocrine (hormonal) system will also regulate itself more effectively -- This will most likely result in higher levels of testosterone
Chew, tape your mouth at night & pull things with your jaw
Defined facial muscles are telltale sign of aggression & health. Sadly, our constant mouth breathing and diet consisting of soft sustenance has greatly weakened our facial muscles.
Expose yourself to extreme temperatures
Heat & cold exposure have many benefits, but for confidence, the main benefit is a properly functioning cardiovascular system. Due to our comfortable living environment, the vascular system (blood vessels) rarely gets challenged, resulting in chronic increased blood pressure and thus stress.
Going barefoot and/or wearing minimalist shoes
Feet incapsulated by shoes that are rigid, with a small toe box & a raised heel lose their sensorial ability over time, which results in an unstable body and an anxious mind.
Final word
Adopting any of the above-mentioned behaviors will very likely improve your confidence, but do not rush -- It is better to adopt one behavior at a time and notice the benefits which will help integrate said behavior.
And, I hope through this article, that you have found a new level of agency in your life.
Bear out.