The Importance of Body Language

Written By Christian Cellasio

Humans are emotional creatures, and there are so many easy ways to share emotions with one another. Being in a room with a silly baby makes everyone feel happy, almost guaranteed that you smile as a result of the baby’s happiness. Seeing one of your closest friends shelter themselves, walking around with their head down lets you know that your friend is struggling. Social cues from body language help communicate emotions to one another.

Body language is one of the only forms of communication that does not revolve around verbal communication. Body language is universally understood regardless of native tongue, background, or culture. It is a way individuals can express themselves and share that emotion with others. Additionally, being able to read the body language of others is equally important. Being able to read another person allows you to offer support or insight into their emotions.

Listening with your ears is not enough; when you listen with your eyes, you are able to gauge a stronger understanding of your conversation.  According to research, approximately 55% of communication is conveyed through body language, 38% through tone of voice, and only 7% through words, showing that body language not only enhances your understanding in emotion, but it allows you to understand what they truly mean on the deepest level.

Body language helps build relationships, being attuned to nonverbal cues from your peers allows us to gain a deeper understanding compared to just listening. With that being said, this is much easier said than done.

In the more intimate aspects of our lives, such as during romantic relationships or deep friendships, understanding body language can be a game-changer. It allows us to be more empathetic, to be there and to help communicate the needs and feelings of our loved ones. Going back to the previous example, imagine a situation where you notice when a friend is feeling down, even when they haven’t uttered a word. It enables us to offer support and comfort, making our relationships stronger and more meaningful because you are showing that you’re there for them, since they could be feeling embarrassment or unsettlement to reach out and could be struggling to communicate their emotions through words.

Being able to observe another’s body language is crucial in being able to understand their emotions on a stronger level, however, body language is important for yourself as well. Think of yourself as a billboard, and you are the advertisement. Being able to display strong body language is important to potentially gain confidence and respect of others.

Remember going over to a girls house and telling yourself “Firm handshake and look him in the eye” for what you would do when her father opened the door? Yeah, those small cues go a long way in gaining respect. ­In an interview, being able to answer questions and looking professional are important, but if you can’t look and act confidently, you’ll never get that job. Encounters like these are more common than you may realize in society. In professional and respectful environments, you are constantly being judged by your body language and it is up to you, and only you, to be glowing in confident body language. So, the next time you go into a waiting room for an interview, never have your arms crossed, and most importantly: ALWAYS KEEP EYE CONTACT.

With that being said, remember to read the room. Being able to adapt your body language is also key, as it makes you feel more relatable when you know when it’s appropriate to go from a professional to a more casual environment.

The development of body language is something that younger generations are struggling with, as the world is moving digital, younger people have less experience to practice body language skills and gain confidence in those professional scenarios. As well as the fact that people spend more time than ever with friends over the phone rather than in person, we are losing face-to-face encounters, not being able to utilize body language to our advantage. As the younger generations are entering the ‘real world’ for the first time, it is important to be aware of these social cues by form of body language. It is important to practice positive body language skills; whether that’s talking to yourself in the mirror, writing and studying scripts, or however you deem appropriate, it is increasingly necessary to practice for your own self confidence. Its also to understand the meaning of being there for a loved one. In this digital world, a text message saying “are you ok” is not good enough. Often times people need that shoulder to cry on in times of distress, or a person to hug when celebrating a milestone. Together, let’s work towards improving both our non-verbal and body language cues as well as recognizing those cues of the people around us.

Nonverbal Communication and Body Language – HelpGuide.org

Image by SDI Productions via Pixabay
Image by SDI Productions via Pixabay