Body Language

This weeks class was a little different than in the past. There was no "exercise" portion like usual. I found it difficult to bring that into what I was trying to get across and there was so much information that it was hard to fit it all in.

I listened to a study once about a group that read a newspaper comic with a pencil placed in their mouth. There were two groups, one with the pencil between the lips and the other with the pencil between their teeth. The difference between these two ways are that one produces a frown and the other produces a smile. The group with a smile or pencil between the teeth rated the comic as funnier.

This is significant because the smile or body position actually triggered an emotion and not the emotion trigger the body position. Many times I think the thought is we show our emotions through our body language and not the other way around. There is a saying that goes "fake 'til you make it". Maybe you can put yourself in a position or do the body language to feel the emotion you would like to feel. If I am sad I smile to feel better. If I am scared I change my body to feel more confidence.

I came across a website that has many charts on what things could mean with a certain body part. You have to realize that these are general observations and not absolutes. The website is:

http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm

We divided up the body and several emotions and drew out of an envelop one of each of us put ourselves in the way that body part would demonstrate that emotion. It was fun and interesting to see how each participant would demonstrate the emotion. Everyone had a variation and it was sort of each's fingerprint.

The challenge of this class was to explore and be aware of your body language and how you are feeling with the different positions you find yourself in. If you find that you are trying to overcome an emotion take the stance of the emotion you would like to feel. There is real power in this connection. Good luck. Until next time.