Have a pleasant smell

The way we look at and perceive ourselves has a tremendous impact on our self-confidence, with smell playing a key role in our self-perception. In a small study of men in the UK, researchers examined whether body smell had an effect on the behavior of the participants. Half of the men used an anti-bacterial deodorant with a pleasant fragrance while the men in the second half sprayed a fragrance-free deodorant on themselves. Afterwards, the men were photographed in regular pictures and also in soundless videos, which were presented to women who were asked to identify which men had high self-confidence. Surprisingly, the men who sprayed deodorant with a pleasant smell were overwhelmingly perceived as having high self-confidence, even though the women did not even hear their voices. The researchers concluded that the men who smelled pleasant felt more self-confident, which was translated into safe behavior that the women could recognize. So the next time you leave your home, spray yourself with a perfume or deodorant that makes you smell and feel good so you can be sure of yourself and act accordingly.