Body language has more significance than words when it comes to revealing our emotions and feelings. People in all industries and fields now understand the importance of body language. Therefore, many companies have added this non-verbal communication as part of their recruitment process.

No matter how interesting the topics are if a speaker does not reflect positive body language, the listeners will not be interested in his or her speech. On the other hand, no matter how unattractive a person looks, positive non-verbal communication will always make him a center of attraction.

Before, we look at some different types of body language, let us learn what exactly body language means.

What is Body Language?

Nonverbal communication signs such as manner of speaking, posture motions, voice, and gestures, all play roles when it comes to body language.

Some examples of body language are tilting your head while thinking, showing defensiveness in an arm-crossed pose, an impatient or restless person swaying, etc. Thus, non-verbal communication gives us messages more clearly about the intention of a person.

Therefore, it is easy to understand now how we can interpret other peoples’ body language to get the complete message of what other people are trying to tell us. Likewise, we can modify our body language to present ourselves as confident, attentive, and positive people.

Now that you know the importance of body language, let us help you to know the types of body language.

Types of Body Language

There are many different types of body language. These are:

Facial Expressions, Posture, Space, Head Tilts, Touching Face or hair, Hand Movements, Eye Contact, and Way of Touching others.
Facial Expressions reflect your thoughts and mindset.

• Postures such as crossed arms, putting hands behind, swaying, etc. play great roles in creating a person’s image.
• Space like how much space you are keeping between you and the other person says a lot about your comfort level with that person.
• Head Tilts show interest and concentration.
• Touching your face or hair has different meanings. For example, twisting hair might suggest flirting.
• Hand movements show how confident and clear we are in our thoughts and knowledge.
• Eye Contacts show your negative or positive side. It also shows if you are interested in any event or any person.
• Way of Touching Others includes the way a person shakes his hand or hugs someone.

Some Examples of Body Language

If you are able to study body language, you will be able to get the complete message of unspoken words. Remember these examples of body language when you speak to anyone.

Examples of Negative Body Language

Angry

• Clenched jaw.
• Shaking while talking.
• Flushed face.
• Furrowed eyebrows.
• Reddened face.

Defensive

• Crossed-arms pose.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Moving away from the person.
• Frowning.

Nervous

• Freezing.
• Swaying while talking.
• Fidgeting.
• Pacing.

Bored

• Looking away while talking to you.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Yawning while talking.
• Start fidgeting while listening to a speech.

Sadness

• Sagging cheeks and jaw.
• Lowering the corners of your lips.
• Dropping eyes and mouth.
• Slouching.

Examples of Positive Body Language

Happiness

• Arms relaxed.
• Smiling often while talking or listening.
• Raised cheeks.
• Head pointed up.
• Legs slightly spread.
• Good eye contact.

How to Appear Positive and Confident with Correct Non-verbal Communication

By following a few simple tips you can make positive body language a part of your daily life.

Here they are:

• Always use a firm handshake.
• Maintain eye contact properly while conversing with others.
• Maintain a relaxed and open posture without slouching.
• Keep your arms by your sides.
• Avoid standing in a crossed-arm or crossed-leg position.
• Maintain a warm smile on your face.
• Keep your back straight with your shoulders back.
• Nod your heads often.
• Keep your palms facing up.
• Slow down your speech while talking.
• Sit or stand with your legs slightly apart.
• Keep your head up.
• Raise your eyebrows to show that you are interested.

Practicing the simple tips for some time will help you to appear confident and positive at meetings, interviews, and even at social gatherings. One of the best tactics to impress anyone is to mirror the body language of that person. This can help you build a rapport with that person without much effort. We hope that this article has made you realize the importance of body language in non-verbal communication. So, what are you waiting for? Start practicing the tips mentioned in the article and see the result yourself.