To ask how to appear confident and friendly?

[NotJustACigar]

Durng a group exercise on a training course I'm on about emotional intelligence, we were asked to go around and say how we perceived everyone to be feeling based on their expressions and body language. Quite a few people said "timid" to me. I'm trying to figure out how not to look that way!

So AIBU to try to change this and ask your best tips? Ideally I'd come across as confident but friendly and appealing to talk to. So far I know I need to hold my shoulders further back and stop fidgeting. What else? Any more obscure ideas welcome such as wearing by hair more curly rather than flat, straight and stick to my head. Wearing brighter colours like red and orange.

DH says I'm confident and assertive which I do feel is true. However when amongst groups of people I don't know well I'm not giving this impression and it's frustrating.

Ugh I hate these type of activities. Have never been in a group exercise where something like that took place, but friends have told me that when they first met me, the initial impression they got was that I was arrogant and aloof!

That being said, the few things that come to mind that will cause me to describe someone as 'timid' would be the lack of eye contact, them attempting to start a sentence and then stopping, and constant fidgeting.

To describe someone as "timid" is rude and condescending, in my opinion. I would never describe someone like that. If I'm honest, I am aware of my body language in group meetings - I have a tendency to wrap my arms around myself, or keep myself quite closed off, so I deliberately make sure that I am sitting with my arms down, or on my lap.

However, I personally would be pissed off with "timid", and tend to ignore it.

I could get pissed of as yes it's insulting however I would rather take it as an opportunity to understand something about myself and change it. It's quite a rare thing to find out exactly what others see in us on first meeting!