Hello, and welcome to the traveling Introvert. Today I want to
talk about communication and
communication with confidence, but not
necessarily what you're thinking about. You know, have
you ever wondered like some people, when they enter the room, you kind of know
the almost command attention and it's not they might
not even have to speak, therefore it's not the words that captivate. But there are
nonverbal cues. And so nonverbal communication
is really vital in conveying your thoughts,
emotions, intentions, just as much as your verbal
communication. So I want to talk about two sides. I want to talk about sort
of the body language, but I also want to talk about voice modulation.
So with nonverbal, as far as like body language
is concerned, it's a powerful tool, but it
encompasses your posture, gestures, facial
expressions and overall physical demeanor.
And to communicate with confidence, you should pay attention to the following
aspects of your body language. And this is something that I
get told a lot because people assume that introvert
are kind of hunched over and look inward
and have a please don't talk to me vibe. And to some people
that communicates a lack of confidence or lack of wanting to
interact. So when you think about your posture,
stand or sit up straight and convey a sense of openness and
attentiveness, pull your shoulders back. It also works well
for helping you speak better. I don't know if you've noticed that.
So right now I'm currently hunched over and this is the way my voice sounds.
But when I go ahead and open up and stretch,
my voice sounds different. Don't cross your arms because
this is something that signals disinterest or defensiveness
and just be present of that because I know that's something that I do a
lot. Eye contact. Eye contact is this weird thing. People assume
that eye contact, like specific eye
contact, shows good communication and confidence, but it can be
unnerving. And not only that, if you're being asked a question and you're
thinking you looking off to the side does not mean that you are not paying
attention. So I think eye contact is overrated,
but it is important. And then there's your facial expressions. I've
been told personally, I have a bunch of great facial expressions, not
intentional, it's just I don't really hide my feelings. And so your face
is an essential tool for expressing emotions and connecting
with others. So smiling or rolling your eyes, people
know what you're thinking. So just smile genuinely when appropriate
and think about your facial expressions to the tone of the conversation. You
want to convey sincerity and authenticity and the fact
that you're actually listening and then
think about sort of micro expressions. So with
facial expressions, the micro expressions are fleeting expressions that
reveal your true emotion. Learn to recognize and control
your microaggressions and your micro expressions to align them with
your intended message. Hand gestures,
the don't overdo it, but they help to sort of
give more emphasis to things that you are saying.
I know that some people fidget and other people can find that
distracting, but if that what works for you to keep you
attuned and what you're doing, do that body
alignment. Make sure when you're speaking to a group conversing that you face
the audience or the person that you are interacting with directly. It shows that you
want to be actively involved in communication.
And then there's sort of mirroring.
You'll mirror the body language of the person you're speaking with. This can help build
rapport and create a sense of connection. It is something that you don't realize is
being done or the other person doesn't realize is being done. But
we tend to really appreciate when someone is mirroring us and that
goes for the same with your voice. If you're talking to someone who speaks really
quickly and does things like that, then if you speak in the same way,
for some reason our minds attune that with oh, this person is
like me and therefore they're fine and they're safe. If you have
someone that speaks with a
more measured tone when you're talking
to them, you should try and match that measured tone
because that for them is what's easy for them to take on
information and do that sort of a thing. So there's mirroring in personal appearance
but also sort of in your voice and your modulation
and just being emotionally aware of what you're doing. Self awareness is mainly the
best part of communication and communicating confidently. Be
aware of how you're standing. Are you fidgeting what you're doing? Are you
listening? Are you having an eye contact? Empathy?
With a little awareness and mindfulness you can really enhance your
nonverbal communication skills that allow you to convey confidence in any
situation. Practice and practicing self awareness
is essential and so you need to kind of divert these skills and it's a
muscle that you need to practice and grow. With dedication and attention to
detail you will build your confidence and become a better communicator because of it
by learning about and practicing all these things with nonverbal
communication. Thank you for listening. This is
Janice@thecareintrovert.com helping you build your brand and get hired. Have
a great rest of.