"Communications Breakdown"

When I talk to someone I sort of try run the show. Not on purpose, though. I'll get going sometimes on something I'm saying and the person will lose interest. I keep going, unaware that they don't care as much about what I am saying as I am. This is known as a one sided conversation and I am a master at it, for better or worse.

It took me a while to realize that I did this. My mom had to tell me. Her saying something did not cure the problem, just brought it more to my attention. I'm a little better at picking up on a persons lack of interest, but I still could use some work. One thing that does not help in people understanding me is the rate at which I speak. It is very fast.

At first I thought that it was because I was pre-programmed for Spanish. I thought that for a long time. I realized that my brain was wired for speed and multi-tasking and the less time I spend on one thing the more I will have for another. It also does not help that I mumble and talk under my breath, the first being far more prevalent than the latter. Thoughts just seem to flow out of my mind at an alarming rate. If I were an animal I would probably be a squirrel who sat up in a tree jabbering away at anyone unlucky enough to come by. Sometimes I have interesting things to say, sometimes...

As I already explained with sarcasm there may be things that people say to me that I don't pick up right away. Have patience, its not like I'm trying to misunderstand you. Just give me a second to think things through. If I didn't care I would have already walked away.

Reading body language is something I'm starting to get better at. Like anything else it takes time. I know it comes naturally to You. As for me I have to work at it continually. As you have probably already guessed it took me a few times around to decipher what the mime was actually doing. After all it's not polite to ask questions during a silent performance.

Body language is fun to learn because you learn more about the people you are around and how they communicate. Each individual has a style all his own. The way that I connect body language with people is just like solving any other puzzle; I look at the whole situation and make sure all the pieces fit together before moving on. I have to look at the entire face and put weights each part of its expression. The entire eye area is my main focus, then the lips and cheeks. Hidden information though, can be anywhere so I keep alert for hand position/gestures.

If someone was to give me a sharp glance down or to either side I know that it means someone who could be listening or the person we are discussing could be about, and to shut up. You'd be surprised to see how long it can take someone to learn this. Of course, there are things that I learned naturally that you could never learn. I was given some gifts.

Other than learning and deciphering basic body language the old fashioned way there is a fun way to accelerate how you can read people. It can either be profitable or costly, it all depends how good you are. I'm talking about playing poker.