Actions Speak Loudest: What Your Body Language Says About Who You Are

We are the authors of our stories.

Our gestures and thoughts create the image not only of the character, but the world around them.

Have you heard of the "show, don't tell" method? While writing my first novel, I learned a lot about this and am about to explain why it is important in your life story.

Body language has a powerful effect on you and those around you. Not only does it play a major role in your thoughts, but it also gives off a vibe to others in your environment.

What image are you giving off?

Take look around you and examine others, too. What does their body language say about them? Now, let's take a closer look.

The human individual is divided into four planes:

- Spiritual: This connects beyond the mind to the underlying spiritual reality of the universe.

- Mental: This sums up the opinions, beliefs, values, ideals, ideas and concepts that guide our conscious thinking for decision-making.

- Vital/Emotional: Separated into two different parts, vital provides the energy for human action and expresses itself through attraction, liking, desire, urges and enthusiasm.

Emotional is where the semi-conscious experiences the vital sensations of the central nervous system.

It is where we experience our feelings and passions in life and where the emotions are processed into emotional thought then into the perception of knowledge. This is where our attitudes, life intelligence and higher emotions reside.

- Physical: This is our material form, our raw physical existence consisting of matter. Our movements originate and are the seat of our physical urges and sensations and our body learns how to act for the primary skills of existence.

Our body is a window to our emotions, and you express those emotions even if you are silent. Your thoughts are powerful and when they come together with your actions, they become even more so.

Consider the following:

It's 3 am and I rise to start my day. I give thanks for the day before it even begins. I do this simply because it makes me feel good.

Afterward, I lay flat on my back and give thanks for the top 10 blessings of the previous day, or for things that excite me.

Now, let’s take a look at my body language to reveal how it all connects.

- Spiritually, I am giving thanks to the higher power for blessing me.

- Mentally, I am thinking of all the good things I have and am blessed with.

- Vitally, I am giving my energy to doing something that makes me feel wonderful.

- Emotionally, I am bringing peace and relaxation into my life.

- Physically, I am laying flat on my back.4

What does this all show?

I am relaxed, which shows me that my emotions are mentally working with good energy giving me a nice, calm morning and my body is showing exactly what is inside of me.

What do you do to relax daily? It doesn't have to be a morning thing; it can be anytime. Just think of what I just shared and see how it all connects.

The signs of being angry include protruding eyes, sweating or cutting people off when they speak. As you can see, the last two may be completely different, depending on the situation.

Sweating could mean someone is working out and cutting people off could just mean someone is excited about the conversation.

Let's take a closer look at the example of the protruding eyes of your boss:

- Spiritually, he or she is very disconnected because he or she is looking for an ego boost.

- Mentally, he or she is trying pick a fight, terrorize and shun the person while jumping to conclusions.

- Vitally, he or she is giving all of his or her energy to try to control the individual by using his or her title to place fear into him/her.

- Emotionally, he or she is getting a kick out of the fact that he or she can get away with treating someone like that.

- Physically, his or her protruding eyes are easily seen, and now you know what this may mean.

The body language shows a person who lacks something in his or her life and feels the need to attack. This person wants to make you afraid so he or she can boost his or her own ego.

The sad thing is, the majority of people need that job for the money and they can only do so much.

Just remember not to take these sorts of behaviors personally and one day soon enough, you'll be able to tell the person where to shove it.

Some other gestures may include:

- Strong posture with shoulders back, chest out and chin high. This indicates that the person is not cocky or narcissistic, but self-confident in whom he or she is. Spiritually, he or she found the strength within to feel good about whom he or she is.

Mentally, he or she thinks about how happy this makes him or her feel. Vitally, the energy will better him or her. Emotionally, he or she will accept him or herself and physically, it looks like he or she is walking the runway.

- A smile that is genuine and lights up the face is a sign of gratitude. Gratitude can come in many different ways.

Spiritually, he or she knows how blessed he or she is, mentally he or she is at peace, vitally he or she is sharing his or her good energy with everyone around, emotionally he or she is filled with utter bliss and physically, he or she is cheerfully strolling by.

- It's a stare, you get talked about behind your back, you catch a rude remark seemingly without cause and you get ignored for being the perfectly beautiful person you are. This is what you call envy.

Spiritually, this person is mad, mentally he or she can't understand, vitally he or she aims negativity at you, emotionally, he or she feels entitled and physically, he or she can squint or stare with his or her chin poking forward.

The list is endless, but next time you make a move or think a thought, take notice of your body language as well as the other people’s.

If you are in the bad mood, try to turn it around by making the action on the outside positive. If you are positive on the inside but it isn't showing on the outside, be sure to allow your glow to shine through.

It’s better to show rather than just say it because what you give is what you will receive.

But, if you tell yourself good things, they will happen. If you look closely, it’s easy to tell if someone is happy, sad, grateful, mad, confident, confused or envious.

So, answer this question: What is your body language saying about you?