Do you sometimes feel like you’re not expressive enough? That can be a bit of a problem, especially if you want to come across as more passionate or excited about something.

But we’ve got you covered. Here are the best tips on how to look more expressive and persuasive.

1. Use Your Eyes

Your eyes are one of the most expressive parts of your face. They can show a range of emotions, from happiness and excitement to sadness and anger.

When you’re speaking, maintain eye contact with your audience. It will help keep them engaged and convinced by what you’re saying. And when you’re not speaking, keep your eyes open and active. It will help keep your facial expressions lively and interesting.

For example, you can widen your eyes to show that you’re surprised or narrow them to make it look like you’re angry or upset. You can also use your eyebrows to add more expression and emotion to your face by raising, lowering, or furrowing them as necessary.

Avoid looking at the ground when speaking with other people because this is seen as a sign of disrespect or disinterest.

Sometimes, though, the eyes don’t appear expressive enough, needing some “pop” or bringing the other person’s attention toward them. You can consider taking eyelash extension classes. Eyelashes can be used to frame the eyes and make them look more prominent.

2. Smile and Laugh

Image by Freepik.com

Smiling and laughing are excellent ways to show your emotions. They can help you appear more approachable, happy, excited about something, or just in general like an engaging person.

Try smiling at people when they enter the room to help them feel welcomed. Remember not to laugh at inappropriate times, though.

If you’re having a conversation with someone and they say something funny, it’s okay (and even encouraged) to smile or laugh. You can also use smiling as an expression of gratitude when thanking people for their help or kindness.

If smiling genuinely seems challenging, do this: try relaxing your face and then smile. The muscles in the corners of your mouth will lift up, allowing you to appear happier than before.

3. Use Your Hands

When you’re trying to come across as more expressive, using your hands can be another great way to do that. Gesturing while speaking can help emphasize your points and make you appear more passionate about what you’re saying.

It also helps the person listening to you better understand what you’re saying. They can follow the movement of your hands and get a better visual of the points you’re trying to make.

Be careful not to gesture too much, though, as it can be seen as distracting or indicative of poor speaking skills. Try keeping your gestures open and expansive for the best effect.

Image by Freepik.com

Some excellent hand gestures include waving your hand in a circle, pointing to something specific, or gesturing with two hands up and down like you’re drawing an imaginary scale.

You can also use hand gestures when talking about hypothetical situations like moving them in the air as if they were wheels on a car wheeling around or mimicking how something would look if it were real life.

When you’re not speaking, keep your hands in a relaxed position at your sides or use them to gesture subtly as needed.

It’s also helpful to be aware of the different gestures people make in different parts of the world to avoid offending someone with an inappropriate hand gesture.

For example, the thumbs-up sign is seen as a positive gesture in the United States, but it’s actually considered an insult in some Middle Eastern countries.

Another example is how raising your index finger and middle finger while holding up your palm means “I’m number one!” or “good job” to most Americans, but this hand sign is extremely offensive to those in the Middle East because it loosely means the middle finger.

4. Change Your Voices

Your voice can help convey your emotions and make you appear more expressive. Try speaking louder or softer, depending on what you’re talking about at the time. For example, when telling an exciting story to someone new, it’s okay to raise your volume level so they can hear it better because this indicates excitement in itself!

You should also vary your pitch. For instance, if you’re asking a question, raise the pitch of your voice at the end instead of letting it fall flat or dropping it down too low. People might think you don’t care about what they have to say next.

The tone of your voice is also critical. It can help convey emotions like sadness or happiness, anger or love.

Looking more expressive can be a great way to come across as warmer, friendlier, and more engaging. Use the tips in this article to help you out!