What body language makes you look confident and approachable?
To convey confidence, sit or stand up straight but stay loose. Don't cross your arms, keep your hands out, have a natural expression on your face, make comfortable eye contact, turn your body toward whoever's talking, don't fidget and give them space. Be comfortable and interested, not rigid, dominating, or too rehearsed.
Body language that looks confident and approachable
First, start with how you're standing or sitting. Make sure you're sitting or standing upright, but don't stick your chest out or make yourself stiff in the back. Just let your shoulders relax. Keep your head up and put both of your feet flat on the ground. This will help you to appear more calm, and will also make it easier to breathe and talk.
Try to keep your arms open. Crossed arms, hiding your hands, or shifting your body from another person may cause you to seem defensive even if you didn't intend to convey that impression. Leave your hands at your sides or use gentle movements while speaking. Don't hold on to things, fidget, or touch your face too often.
Make eye contact. Do not stare at the other person the whole time; rather, look when they're talking, then look away briefly, and return your gaze to them when appropriate. You want to avoid looking too much, which will be unnerving for the other person, but don't look away the entire time either, as that will appear nervous and disinterested.
Make sure your face matches the situation. You may be able to smile lightly when meeting a new person, but don't worry about smiling all of the time. A relaxed jaw and an interested face are often seen as more genuine than a frozen smile.
When you are listening, angle your torso slightly in the direction of the speaker. Offer a tiny nod or a little "mmhm" to indicate your interest. Give people their own space and adjust your body language to match the setting. Remember that looking confident isn't about taking up as much space as possible. You want to look at ease, interested, and at home in your own skin.