There are times in life when you want to make a good impression. Maybe you want to seem confident and successful – younger and thinner – or just plain old smarter. Well, the good news is, you don’t need years of schooling, a diet or a dream job. You just need to know these psychological tricks we found in Woman’s World magazine.

• For instance - to appear thinner, it’s as simple as standing tall. Research shows that standing straight with your arms NOT touching your sides can make you look 20 pounds thinner.
• Another thin trick: Dab on a spicy, floral perfume. According to neurologist Alan Hirsch, when men in a study were asked to guess a woman’s weight, the women wearing spicy floral perfume were thought to be a lot thinner than they actually were. An example would be Lancome’s “Miracle” perfume.
• Want to impress with your success and confidence? Extend your hand first when meeting someone. Studies show that those who do, are seen as more successful and confident than those who wait for a handshake.
• Also, wear dark blue. It’s a color that people associate with power. Like a military uniform.
• Now, for the smart stuff. Speak more slowly. Not only do people perceive slow-talkers as smarter, they also listen to them more closely. That’s from psychologist David Niven’s book “The 100 Simple Secrets of Powerful People”.
• Also, ask someone’s opinion. Simply asking “What do you think?” after giving your own opinion makes you seem more intelligent. It subconsciously tells the other person that you think they’re smart too. And when someone thinks we’re smart, we think the same thing about them!
• And finally, people who spend more time listening than talking are also perceived as smarter. So quit yapping, wear your spicy floral perfume, stand up straight, wear navy blue, and extend your hand for a handshake first. People will think you’re a force to be reckoned with.