Body Language- What are we really trying to say?

So much of what we say to someone comes through what we do with our body. I've really been trying to pay attention to what I'm doing when I'm with people to help me more fully see what I'm trying to tell them.

These things can be very simple. For example, I went running with my friend. As we were jogging he was talking. I didn't want to be rude and interrupt him, but at times we would come to a crossroads and we would need to choose the direction we wanted in which to continue running. I found myself simply gesturing with my hand the direction I wanted to go. Then I would start running in that directions and he would start running in that direction to. This allowed me to not interrupt him, but still communicate the message I wanted. I have never realized that I gesture with my hands when I run. I've probably done this same things so many times before, but I've never paid attention to it. It's something so simple and little, but it really conveys the meaning, and without a word being said. How fascinating?!

As well what we unconsciously do with our body can be portray something opposite to what we really are trying to portray. I realized this as I was making dinner last night. My roommates and I cook a few nights out of the week for one another. Last night, it was my night to cook. I was running behind. My roommate had a commitment, somewhere she needed to be and I was desperately trying to get dinner on the table on time. I had a pretty full day and was a little frazzle. As I was preparing dinner I told my roommate some of my frustrations. She was really sweet and came over to give me a hug, it was a very kind gesture to make. I however, was so focused on hurrying to clean the strawberries that when she hugged me my body was still toward the sink. That in a sense forced her to give me a side hug. She was trying her best to show support. Thankfully I was paying attention to my body language. After she hugged me I realized how I had unintentionally shown through my body that what I was doing at the time was more important than her hug. My body was turned to the sink, not her. I was still paying more attention to getting dinner on the table then her.

I thought to myself, "This is opposite of what I want to do. Here she is trying to be a supportive friend and by not turning my body toward her when she hugged me I am showing that what she's doing to help and comfort me doesn't really matter as much to me as does cutting the strawberries." So...I put the knife down, shut off the water, turned my body toward her and in a more or less dramatic and comic way said, "I need a real hug." She laughed and then we fully embraced. It was a sweet and tender moment. I was so grateful that I realized what I was doing with my body at this moment in time! Being aware of my body allowed me to more fully portray the real message I wanted to portray. That message being, that I loved her and appreciated her support. I believe that had I not shown with my body, as well as my words, what I was feeling the message could have been misinterpreted. Body language, if paid attention to, can help get the true meaning across more completely and fully. How neat!