Our great coach Hooda Soodi conducted a miniworkshop and unfolded the 4 secrets to be happy and to be present in our daily life.

Have you ever seen someone walk into a room and you are instantly drawn to him/her?  Is it about his/her clothes or shoes or something less tangible that instantly attracts you? That something is called PRESENCE.

When we “sense” someone like that in a split second, it is actually more about his/her personal presence and the energy we pick up from him/her. Authentic, positive personal presence draws us in. It’s about the way the person carry him/herself, the way he/she walks and the positive impact he/she has on other people. Personal presence is actually a state of being and when mastered, it can allow you to tap into your higher choices, reduce fears and greatly influence the people around you.

Having presence isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or the one with the biggest ego or charisma. It’s simply about being present and engaged in the moment, bringing your highest energy and self into a situation and being truly authentic. You can also have presence simply by the way you choose to listen to another person, or how attentive you are during a meeting.

In another way, something that stands you over all other people, over the actual moment, over the noises.

Here are some top tips for building Personal Presence:

• Manage your mind/body balance

Start by creating balance in your internal world. This will give you the opportunity to get yourself in the peak performance zone and to be in the present moment. A simple technique which may assist you in becoming present is to try “Balanced breathing”. You can do this at any time by using a balanced inhale/exhale breathing cycle- simply inhaling for 6 seconds and then exhaling for 6 seconds. If you do this regularly for a few minutes at a time, it will help to bring your nervous system into balance. An additional benefit of doing this is that it allows you to tap into good decision making and use all the resources available within your head, heart and gut brains.

• Regularly ask yourself the question: How do I show up every day?

How are you feeling when you show up at work? Do you feel energised looking forward to a new day or are you tired and plugged into negativity? When you speak to your clients and colleagues are you just going through the motions or are you really connecting with them? If your mind is filled with “chit chatter” when you speak to others, you are not living in the present moment. Remember, your presence is about what other people experience when they spend time with you. 

• Nurture your network 

Think about the relationships you have with other people in your organisation. Are they in a good state or do they need a little nourishing? Do you need to take a little more time to make a few deposits in your network bank account or do you already have a great balance of contacts who you can call upon for help and support? Do people feel the value and contribution of your presence, or do you end up only contacting them when you need their help?

• Learn to deal with your energy 

To work effectively with your energy, you need to be aware of what drains your energy and what elevates your energy or strengthens you. By taking the time to identify this, you can choose to put the majority of your efforts into your strengths and leverage these into your work. This will result in you feeling and being far more present and productive. After identifying what drains your energy, take steps to mitigate any areas of weaknesses by adding resources to these tasks such as systems, processes and also calling in an expert with those strengths if required.

So what will be your next action? Set a goal and improve in being “sensed” by others.

Text edited by Alissia Molteni