Body language has always been a hot topic of interesting dinner conversations. It is perhaps one of the most powerful forms of human expression or human communication!

Body language is a very important part of communication which can constitute 50% or more of what we are communicating to other persons. If you wish to communicate effectively, besides the words, you can use your body to say what you mean.

Body language can be used to discover all sorts of things such as, knowing when someone is attracted to you, finding truth or lies, showing confidence, winning respect in any situation, and you can use body language to make people less nervous, make friends quickly, persuade and influence. So what is body language? Body language is a term used to describe the method of communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or besides, spoken language or other communication. Body language also includes many movements that most people are not aware of, such as winking and slight movements of the eyebrows and other facial expressions.

Body language is one of the easiest ways for you to tell what's really going on in a conversation with another person. The body language that you observe from other people will tell you whether or no those people are telling you the truth, or whether there is something more that's not being said. Watch, look and observe. Sometimes you can tell more by a person’s body language than the words he speaks.

We all know that our body language can give off signals to those around us about how we’re truly feeling. Crossed arms or closed body language suggests that we are feeling defensive (防御的) and we didn’t really believe what we’re listening to. Walking here and there suggests that we’re bored. And poor eye contact can suggest that we’re lying.

One major development in the field of body language that hit the headlines is the “power pose.” This is a theory put forward in 2011 by U.S. social psychologists Amy Cuddy, Dana Carney and Andy Yap. They proposed that when you pretend to be powerful, you are more likely to actually feel powerful.

What the theory suggests is that the simple act of holding a powerful pose can have powerful impact. For example, sitting with your legs up on the desk and arms held behind your head can raise your androgen levels and lower your cortisol (皮质醇) levels. Androgen is the hormone that affects dominance (控制); cortisol is the stress hormone. The study assessed participants’ hormone levels before and after they held high-power and low-power poses.

Just as a male gorilla beats his chest to tell his dominance, humans can use body language to enhance their confidence, increase feelings of power, and lower their stress levels. These findings build on several psychological studies suggesting that some aspects of body language can change your emotional state. For instance, someone nodding “yes” to you can make you easier to persuade, and when you smile, you can feel more positive.

So, how can powerful poses help us in the workplace? Well, the study proposes that, simply by striking a powerful pose, you can better prepare yourself for difficult or stressful situations. Perhaps you’ve got a presentation that you’re nervous about giving, or a job interview coming up. Holding a power pose, even in private, can help you to approach these events in a confident and less-stressed way. In contrast, a weak pose with closed body language can make you perform poorly.

Body language, sometimes called "non-verbal communication", is an important tool. The way you communicate through body language can determine your success in everything from relationships to your career. Up to 93% of communication can be non-verbal. Paying closer attention to the messages you send through body language can help you succeed. 【小题1】

Have good posture（姿势）.If you go to a job interview and you have bad posture? you'll probably register more poorly to the interviewer. People will associate bad posture with weak confidence or boredom. 【小题2】 To have good posture, your head should be up and your back should be straight. Sit down the front of your chair and lean forward slightly to show you're interested.

Mirror another person. Mirroring is when one partner copies the posture of the other partner. 【小题3】 Specifically? you can mirror a person's tone or position of the body. You shouldn't do this obviously or repeatedly though, only skillfully.

Emphasize your point with gestures. Have more than one gesture. 【小题4】 If you want to ensure you're not misunderstood, repeat helpful gestures when you speak the idea aloud. You don't have to use a body language gesture （or two） for every word, but it's good to have a toolbox of gestures you can use to reinforce（强化）important but easily misunderstood concepts.

【小题5】Watch for wandering eyes and constant sniffing. If you're constantly touching your face, you'll never look confident or at ease. Improving your posture and working to reduce nervous tics （抽搐）can be difficult and will take time, but you'll quickly improve your overall non-verbal communication.