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Body Language Body language is a form of Nonverbal Communication and it is an immense part of communication. From small movements to big movements, using your hands or facing towards someone to show engagement. It is used in everyday basic communication all the way to professional communication. It is very powerful to see & use certain gestures or facial expressions throughout speaking. Not just using but also understanding Nonverbal Communication & Body Language can be very important to creating those greater relationships.

With Nonverbal Communication, Body language is important but you may not notice it. It is like if you are giving a speech, you know to make good eye contact and facial expressions but the viewers might not even consciously realize if they’re just focused on what you are saying.

Even if you notice or not, you are always communicating nonverbally and can make an impression in a matter of seconds. You can be completely done verbally communicating but you still will be showing body language. Which is why it is necessary to make sure you are communicating in an engaging way instead of a way that can come off confusing or rude.

It starts with things like tone in voice and works all the way up to facial expressions, body posture, eye contact and gestures you may make throughout. It is important to use body language to help better present yourself and help to interpret & express feelings. Especially because what you say can mean something differently if you aren’t communicating properly through body language.

Posture: What first comes to mind when you think of Body Language may differ, but mostly it’s thought of as posture, how you hold your body & yourself. Everyone should be very aware of this especially through important times when using communication.

Emotions are brought out upon body language and are easily interpreted by others. If you are standing or sitting with your arms crossed and to the side you may seem unapproachable or come off as rude. If you are standing with your arms by your side and having your chest faced towards another you come off more approachable and welcoming.

In professional settings, bigger crowds, or even small settings body gestures and posture are important. It is the difference of coming off as attentive & confident or uninterested & rude.

While being attentive and confident you are faced towards another or others and paying attention. With that, you could be sitting in class & nodding along to the teacher as you are taking notes. Which tells the teacher you are respectful, interested and giving her the time to speak.

If you are uninterested and rude you could be sitting with your arms crossed and not even looking at another. Even if you are having a bad day or are tired, it is important to realize that you may come off differently to another in a negative way.

Tone in Voice: Tone in Voice and Body language go hand and hand. What you say if you’re happy will show confidence through your body language. Rather, if you are coming off cocky you may have your arms & legs crossed. In Nonverbal communication, what you say is important but it is about how you are saying it. It is all based on your tone, inflection, how fast or slow you go, or even how loud or quiet you are. When speaking you want to keep a lower pitch to your voice to show power and the sense you know what you are talking about to influence others. If you speak at a higher and faster rate, it can come off as being nervous or confused. Breathing patterns can also have an effect on the tone in your voice. When calm, you are breathing more regularly which makes it easier to understand and be openly communicative. If you have a faster breathing pattern you can get lost in your words and leads into a more submissive body language.

Facial Expressions: With face-to-face communication it shows you a better way of understanding and trusting one another. Facial Expressions are key to Nonverbal Communication. Across cultures you have the same way of interpreting happiness all the way to sadness. If you are happy, you are smiling and looking up at who you are speaking to and If you’re sad you are looking down & not smiling much or even at all. We only pay attention to so much of what each other is saying. Using facial expressions leads you to using other forms of Nonverbal Communication & Body Language to give more meaning to the message being given.

Eye Contact: The easiest way to build & improve a connection throughout communicating is eye contact. You get a better understanding from the other person, so it is key to be using good eye contact throughout conversations. With good eye contact you are showing confidence and interest.

Eye contact should be shown about 70% of the time while you are talking. It shows a sign of trust and that you are equally involved as the other/s. Since some struggle to use eye contact well, you can look around their eyes and nose or even between their eyes for a few seconds to regain attention.

Gestures: When you are talking to someone you may notice the use of gestures. Gestures can be different across all cultures. These can be very important to showing emphasize on parts of your communication while it is also crucial to control your movements.

In communication using hand movements can be shown to be very expressive & enthusiastic. It’s important to use them correctly. If you are pointing fingers or hiding your hands you can come across as aggressive or shady. It gives off a good impression when they’re visible. You become more animated with your hands the more passionate you are. Your audience will feel a sense of good energy and warmness that you are giving off while using these hand gestures. The more enthusiastic you are, the greater the gestures can be.

If you aren’t understanding or trying to read one’s Body Language you may completely miss the message trying to be portrayed. You are communicating your feelings, expressions and emotions. Verbal and Nonverbal Language are two very different things that are going on at the same time so it is crucial to pay attention to both. Then you are having a better understanding of the conversation going on.

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