According to Leil Lowndes, author of How to Talk to Anyone, 80 percent of a person’s first impression of another is based solely on their non-verbal communication. We judge people based on what they are doing rather than what they are saying.
I love to talk and I love to listen, but my biggest problem is weeding out the BS. People say things every day that may or may not be true, make false promises and ultimately show their true colors through their actions. Here are a few reasons why we should notice how important it is to pay attention to what they’re not saying.
Actions Speak Louder than Words
People say they care and they’ll always be there for you, but how many people actually are? The best friends are not the ones who say they will be there, but the ones who actually are when you need them the most. These friends prove their words through action, but did you really need their words in the first place?
Think of your dog. Every time you come home he wags his tail and acts like you have been gone for years even if it was just for an hour. He doesn't need to tell you he cares because he shows you affection through his action.
Actions Don’t Lie
Change is made through action not words. We have all had our share of bad relationships. They say they’ll change, but do they prove it? Why do we listen to their empty promises and excuses? We should be paying attention to what they’re doing. They apologize for doing something, but repeat the same mistake over and over. We continue to listen. We should really tell them to shut their mouth and make a change rather than apologizing for the same thing.
It's More Effective
We can learn a lot about a person by the way they present themselves. Simple gestures like opening the door for someone or even the way they react in a situation can tell us a lot before they even say a word. We can save ourselves time, heartache and disappointment by just looking around once in a while.
So take a second and really look at a person when you're getting to know someone. As creepy as it sounds, watch them, learn their mannerisms. Especially if this is a person whom you're trying to figure out if you can trust or not, just take the time to learn why they do the things they do. Once you take a step back, you'll realize a lot more than you were prepared for and you'll probably instantly realize if they're worth your time or not.
