Human beings are social animals, and much of the communication that takes place between two people is done unconsciously, with body language being the best example of this.

Body language is the way we physically communicate with others: our gestures, movements, facial expressions, and more, all working together to make up your unique body language.

Many people aren’t taught to use proper body language around others, which can lead to misconceptions about your motives  or how honest you are. Fortunately, there are a number of simple ways of improving your own body language.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is important for most interactions, as people instinctively look for eye contact when trying to determine whether you are trustworthy or not. Maintaining eye contact is important, and it’s shown that people that are dishonest tend to look away or down often.

It’s important, however, to not fall into the trap of constantly staring at a person. Looking away at times is perfectly okay, as long as it isn’t constant, and it’s a good idea not to take your smartphone during a conversation, even if you want to get in on the latest top 5 Aussie pokies games.

Don’t Cross Your Arms

You’ve undoubtedly spoken to a person who constantly crosses their arms, and it’s almost a universal sign that the person is acting defensively. While this might not always be the truth, it’s a wide enough belief that many might think you’re not interested in talking to them because your arms are crossed.

Relaxing Shoulders

It’s extremely easy to misconstrue that a person is upset or angry when they’re tense while talking to you, which is most obvious when the person is tensing their shoulders. This is something that we’ve become somewhat unconscious of, but it can very easily lead to someone thinking that you’re in a bad mood. Try to be aware of your body, and you might find that you’ve been tensing your shoulders without even knowing it.

Leaning in Conversation

Leaning toward a person during a conversation is a good way of letting them know that you’re interested in what they’re saying without having to constantly confirm it verbally. It’s important not to lean in too close, as this can easily make the person uncomfortable – but keeping a healthy distance while learning in slightly toward them can make them much more eager to continue talking to you.

Laugh and Smile

Another way to disrupt a potentially great interaction is by not reacting in a positive way to what the person is saying. The easiest way to let them know that you’re enjoying talking to them is to smile and laugh, especially when they say something funny, talk about something they’re passionate about, or give you a compliment. It’s very easy to be stone-faced during conversation, especially when there’s something on your mind, but this can cause people to lose interest quickly.

Avoid Fidgeting

We tend to fidget when we’re bored and want to do something else, and this is something that people are very easily able to pick up, and it can quickly ruin even the most interesting conversations. One way around this is by being aware of what you’re doing while talking and trying not to fidget or act as if you’ve grown bored with talking to the person.