From the moment we see a person, we begin to form opinion about them. Your body language plays a huge role in giving people the initial impression about you. The expression on your face, the posture you have, the eye contact, the hand gestures you sue etc give a lot of impression about you to others. Interpreting body language is in built in us and we all do it subconsciously all throughout our life.
1. Face
Face is the mirror of emotions that erupt in your mind. If you are tensed then you will be indifferent, and uninterested. You can break this, by having a smile on your face. Smile is the biggest tool that can break the ice when you meet new people. A smiling face will give the impression that you are approachable, open, friendly and confident.
2. Eyes
Eyes also show the feelings we are going through. Stare shows your intensity. It could be a romantic intensity, fear or even aggression. Avoiding eye contact shows your nervousness, guilt or shyness. If you are neither gazing neither averting your eye contact it shows that you are at ease and interested.
3. Hands
Hand gestures are very expressive form of communication. Open gestures show that you are an open person and sincere in your work. Using your finger to draw attention to a point, or drawing your hands close together can be used to stress a point. If used in a moderate amount, they can be used to show that you are energetic and sincere in your work. Too many gestures will be interpreted as you having a nervous persona. Whereas gestures such as touching your sleeves, face etc will show that you are tensed and nervous and sometime people may take that as an indication of you being a cheat.
4. Posture
The way you carry yourself, stand , sit conveys a lot about yourself. It particularly tells about the level of self confidence you possess. If you lean towards someone, it shows your interest in what he/she is saying. By leaning away from them you show that you are not interested in that person. If our self esteem is low it reflects in our body language in the way that our shoulders stop and our head also slumps. When we are in an aggressive mode our body gestures become prominent. The best alternative is to have a relaxed body language.
Your posture will give others indications if you are interested and attentive to an issue. It also tells what position you hold in the group that is discussion a particular issue.
In conclusion, it is our face, eyes, hands and posture that altogether speak a lot than our words. It gives hints to others as to what kind of a person we are, what attitude we have, and the level of self confidence we possess. Being conscious of the body language we display is good – in that we can correct any negative messages that we are giving out. Simple techniques like smiling, constant eye contact, open hand gestures, and a positive posture will help us give a positive impression to others.
Interpreting body language is in built in us and we all do it subconsciously all throughout our life.
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