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Have you noticed people in the room who sit cross-legged, with their arms crossed, talk with gestures, have a strong or not strong tone of voice, give strong or not handshakes, scratch their nose when they talk, touch their interlocutor on the shoulder when they address, their eyes looking up or down right or left when thinking.

All these behaviors manifest hidden communication messages, which we call "body language".

Do you want to know the hidden messages that people express? Do you want to better understand your interlocutor and his intentions? Want to capture emotional patterns?

Learn body signals, learn body language. That non-verbal communication in which expressions, movements and posture are used to express or convey information.

In any human communication, it is not only the words that matter, but also the body language. It is noted that the 93% of human communication is done through non-verbal means, such as facial expression, gestures, body posture and tone of voice.

How important is this "invisible" part of communication and how does it affect our relationships?

1. The role of body language.

Body language is a kind of "silent language" that can complement or even replace spoken language. Small or even subtle movements, changes in style can send even inexplicable messages to our interlocutor. A crossed arm, for example, can indicate defensiveness or closure, while a steady gaze often indicates trust and interest.

2. How body language affects communication.

Many times, our words reveal more about usor with our behavior. A person can say yes, but their body language shows doubt, either with a nervous fiddling of the fingers or a sudden closing of the hands. Emotions that are not expressed verbally, such as anxiety, fear, or happiness, are often made apparent through facial movements and expressions.

Body language helps to characterize a message, convey the right feelings and intentions behind each communication, and regulate the flow of messages and feedback.

However, we need to take socio-political differences into account. Body language differs from culture to culture. For example, maintaining eye contact is considered a sign of politeness and sincerity in the West, while in some Asian cultures it can be considered provocative or disrespectful. In some Latin American cultures people embrace warmly upon first meeting, while in northern countries there is a handshake at a distance.

Below I will mention some facts about body language:

• Non-verbal communication is more noticeable than verbal communication.

• Body language, facial expression, style and tone represent the 93% of meaning that people understand.

• Negotiators who cannot see each other's gestures and facial expressions find it difficult to "read" information and find it difficult to build rapport.

• It is recommended that you maintain eye contact with the other party you are talking to for 4-5 seconds before looking away and back again for another 4-5 seconds.

• It is believed that maintaining eye contact is easier when listening than when talking.

• The human face has 43 muscles and can make up to 10,000 expressions.

• There are SEVEN universal facial expressions as ways of communicating: Fear, Disgust, Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Contempt, Surprise.

Finally I will refer to the 4 main types of body language.

1. Facial expressions. Expressions can reveal a lot about a person. Studies show that simply by looking closely at facial expressions, a person's emotions can be reliably revealed.

2. Gestures. When we talk we can often wave our hands, point something, use our hands often expressing yourself with gestures, without consciously realizing that you are doing it. However, gestures also differ significantly from culture to culture. For example, while the "OK" gesture conveys a good message in English-speaking countries, it is considered offensive in countries such as Germany, Russia and Brazil.

3. Attitude. The way we sit, stand and generally move within the space conveys our feelings and intentions. Good posture conveys confidence and strength, while poor posture can make you appear weak and insecure. Your attitude can help you make a great first impression and on the other hand show your disinterest.

4. Eye contact. Eye contact is very important in body language. It can show interest, concern, hostility or attraction. Maintaining eye contact with someone shows that you are interested in what they are saying. It can also make you appear more confident and trustworthy. Avoiding eye contact, on the other hand, can make you seem untrustworthy, uninterested, or nervous. As well as making it difficult to understand what our interlocutor is saying.

Body language is an essential tool in human communication. Whether we realize it or not, our movements and gestures speak just as loudly as words. Understanding and using this language effectively can help us become better communicators. This knowledge holds a competitive advantage in both our professional and personal lives. The more observant we are, the more likely we are to correctly "read" the non-verbal signals sent by our interlocutor. This is how we improve personal autonomy and self-improvement.