5 successful women share their confidence-boosting secrets – harpersbazaar.com

Deborah Bee/Tiffanie Darke

What is it that gives someone the confidence to walk into a room full of people with a smile on their face and a steady hand before delivering a powerful talk?

Sure, its partly personality, but even the most successful people have their confidence crutches; the little things that pep them up and give them that internal nudge that says, 'Go on, youve got this'.

This might be a wickedly high heel that quite literally makes you stand taller and gain a sense of presence; it might be reciting a positive mantra in your head; or perhaps a specific shade of lipstick that makes you feel your very best.

Fragrance, meanwhile, has long been a proven mood booster. Ingredients including orange blossom and jasmine, found in fragrances like narciso rodriguez for her pure musc, have been scientifically shown to elevate our state of mind. Evoking a feeling of empowerment is at the heart of this brand's perfume, but we also start to make our own life-long library of personal, positive scent associations from the moment were born: when we access these smells they can flood us with confidence-boosting good vibes.

"Days are full of situations where we interact with others," says psychologist Dr Cline Manetta, consumer research scientist at fragrance developer IFF. "Studies show that at these moments, we can be reassured by our fragrance because it enhances our sense of who we are; it asserts our identity, our personality, and can even help project who we want to be, which drives confidence."

Heres what gives our five contributors their confidence boost

"When I want to feel confident, I always wear incredible underwear. No one knows you are wearing it apart from you, which warms you from the inside out. The knowledge that you are conservative and presentable on the outside cutting a fine figure in a beautifully fitting Roland Mouret dress or a strong silhouette in a Saint Laurent trouser suit but a lion and a vamp within, does wonders for the self assertion, I find."

"Unsurprisingly, Im an advocate for a little bit of make-up every day to make you feel good; personally, it gives me a feeling of security and confidence.

"My job is to make other people feel happy with the way they look; to make them feel confident, and I find that taking a back seat not being too pushy can really work to your advantage in this sort of role. Being yourself, being natural, kind and considerate to the people around you thats what makes me feel empowered."

Marigay McKee, co-founder and managing partner at Fernbrook Capital Management LLC, and founder of MM Luxe Consulting

"Im a great believer in 'carpe diem', so rising early followed by yoga, a run or a SoulCycle session helps me start the day the right way. I think it frames the mind in a positive manner for focused output."

"Ive also always loved the quote, 'proper preparation prevents poor performance' I think youre always more confident when you are well prepared. For me that means a really good blow-dry, light but well-applied make-up, and a great scent: delicate for daytime (with extra in my drawer at work because the senses react so well to some uplifting fragrance in the middle of the day), and then sultrier for night, which I find always helps add confidence for a special event."

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"To feel confident before a speaking engagement or any sort of presentation, my top tip is to rehearse and know exactly how youll start. Open well, tell yourself that youre more than capable of doing this, and the rest will follow. Then throw in good hair and a bright red lip and you can conquer the world!"

"Be comfortable; if youre walking up to a podium or stage, wear something that wont trip you up like a long skirt or shoes that youre unsteady in.

"I always do my research and know who Im talking to, which makes me feel more at ease. It sounds obvious, but you need to be relevant to your audience whether its a roomful of corporates, students or charity supporters.

"Finally, I always spray on a little fragrance the same one Ive always worn. I have a mini version for my bag and I spray a cloud of it whenever Im going to an event that Im even slightly nervous about. I cant actually smell it any more, but I always get comments (mostly from women who want to know what it is), which makes you feel good."

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5 successful women share their confidence-boosting secrets - harpersbazaar.com