Body language

Body language has always been a large part of communication.

It's the first thing people notice when they talk to each other and subconsciously determines how we react. Your body language reveals your feelings and underlying thoughts to others.
Others body language reveals their feelings and underlying thoughts to you.

What does your body language say about you?

Body language is especially important in first impressions because at the first impression of a person we are stripped to our primal behaviors and instincts. Successful people know how to develop good body language habits that make them more appealing to others, and they also know how to read body language in order to understand the true meaning of what others are communicating.

Our body language displays our hidden thoughts. Body language seems more important than the words we speak.

 What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Successful people speak well. The best 'connection building' body language techniques are eye contact, smiling and facing your body toward the person you are talking to. All three of these techniques show that you are interested in what someone is saying, that you can be trusted and that you have a warm personality. 

These are key attributes in building connections with others and getting what you want out of life. Also, when you speak to someone you should always have your hands visible. Letting others know they can trust you is extremely important in first impressions when instincts take over. 

Body language in first impressions- Yesterday I was at a concert in a grassy area listening to some music and a woman came up to me asking if she could put her chair in front of where I was standing. I said it would be fine and the conversation lasted no more than 20 seconds but then I started thinking about what happened. 

I'm sure she was a nice woman and she made good eye contact, however, she did not smile and had a rather stern look on her face. I could feel myself putting up a guard during the 20 seconds. My heart rate increased and my muscles tensed up. 

Why did I react like this? It was because there was no smile and I probably got the wrong first impression. 

Always smile when meeting someone new, even if you have to fake it. Practice learning peoples eye color, this will help with eye contact. Point your chest toward theirs, this will open your body to them. 

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said. - Peter F. Drucker