Your words are important. But your body often speaks louder.

Why Body Language Matters

Studies suggest up to 70% of communication is non-verbal. That means your gestures, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact can have a greater impact than what you say.

Common Body Language Signals

Here are some common body language signals and what they could mean:

• Crossed arms: Defensive or disengaged.
  
• Open palms: Honesty and openness.
  
• Nodding: Agreement and attentiveness.
  
• Fidgeting: Nervousness or distraction.
  

How to Align Your Body and Your Message

Be sure what your body is doing matches what you're saying:

• Posture: Stand tall. Ground your feet. Avoid slouching. This shows confidence and keeps your breath strong.
  
• Gestures: Use purposeful movements. Don't flap about, but don’t stay stiff either. Illustrate your points visually using your hands or even your entire body.
  
• Facial Expressions: Smile when appropriate. Furrow your brow to show concern. Let your face echo your words.
  
• Eye Contact: Move your gaze to include all parts of the room. Talk to everyone to share the 'love'. But avoid staring or darting your eyes too fast.
  

Practice Techniques

If in doubt, practice. Actually you should always practice your speeches ... what you say, how you say it and how you use your body and gestures to support your words. You can try:

• Record yourself: Watch your posture and gestures.
  
• Mirror work: Practise facial expressions in the mirror.
  
• Rehearse with feedback: Ask someone to assess how your body language supports your words.
  

Final Thoughts

Strong body language doesn’t mean overacting. It means being in sync.

When your body language supports your message, your credibility soars. Audiences remember not just what you said, but more importantly, how you made them feel.

What next?

If you’d like to practice your body language in your speeches, in a supportive, encouraging environment, Miranda Toastmasters is a great place to start.

Guests are always welcome, and you are free to observe before deciding whether it is right for you.

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Join us at Miranda Toastmasters. 

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