Expressing Yourself Nonverbally

With over seven billion people in the world, how are we supposed to express ourselves as individuals? How are we supposed to communicate who we are, what we like and who we want to be in a world of seven billion other people trying to communicate as well?

The noise can be pretty loud, don’t you think?

With everyone’s opinions, ideas, criticisms and advice just floating around like a heavy cloud, it can be difficult to find exactly where we stand in a fog of noisy people.

The way I seemingly communicate with all the noisy people is actually by staying quiet. I choose to express myself through the wonderful and diverse world of fashion.

Rachel Zoe once said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” For me, it is simply my biggest form of nonverbal communication.

Communicate Through Fashion

Ninety-three percent of what we communicate in our everyday lives is nonverbal, meaning our facial expressions, eye contact, the way we walk, body movement, the way in which we carry ourselves, the tone in our voice and the way we dress and look is all communicating something to those seven billion people.

Fashion, for me, is a way to show creativity, share passion, create inspiration, express confidence and show people who I am. Fashion is something that can be uniquely your own and uniquely personal.

In today’s world, everyone is so different (likes, talents, personalities), so there is a wide range and variety of style. Some people love dressing up, and some people prefer joggers and sneakers, and that is okay.

Something I have realized, is not everyone will love what you will wear. You may think it is really awesome and really cute, but someone else may see you and not understand or like what you’re wearing.

I used to take offense to this, but now not so much. If you love what you are wearing, you feel you look great and your outfit gives you a great energy and a positive spirit, then by all means go out and rock it!

Just by loving what you’re wearing, you’re communicating a sense of confidence, pride and understanding for who you are, and that is such a great thing the world needs to see. You may not realize you’re inspiring other people to be who they are, be creative with what they wear and communicate who they are with the world as well.

Fashion is a form of art that allows one to really be exactly who they want to be, try new things, keep it the same, test the limits or stay in their comfort zone. As long as one is communicating happiness and confidence through what they are wearing, then there is no better form of communication.

Communicate Through Confidence

The world is too full of judgment, misunderstanding and insecurities. To be a light in the world through what you choose to wear, is the confidence the world needs to see from you.

Just like the Hillsong lyrics: “Shine your light and let the whole world see. We’re singing for the glory of the risen king,” you should let your confidence come from what is on the outside, but only to share with others what is on the inside. God could not ask for a greater spirit and light from having confidence to share with the world His love and His works.

There is no need to conform to the seven billion people in the world. Dress for you, show everyone who you, have confidence to be who you want to be and shine a light through God without having to say a word.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our recent blog post, “Maintaining Life Balance.” Want to read more about communicating in the world today? Read our post, “Friendship, Communication and Persuasion.”

More about Taylor:

Taylor Bond going into her junior year at GCU. She is from Peyton, CO, a very small town just east of Colorado Springs. Growing up, she was all about sports, playing everything from softball to running cross country and participating in rodeo. Track became her primary sport, and now she is proud to be a part of the GCU track and cross country team as an 800 runner. Writing is Taylor’s second love. She loves to write short fictional stories, poems and even songs. She was the editor for her high school’s newspaper, The Panther Pride, and was also a sports columnist. She now continues to write and publish a fashion blog every Sunday. She is a communication major at GCU and is minoring in Spanish. She hopes to one day become a sports broadcaster as well as continue to write for a local newspaper or magazine.

About College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Letters and Voices is a blog that explores the impact of communications and language in our daily lives. The choices we make in the communication messages we send and receive structure the nature of our relationships, drive our motivations and values in career and community, as well as create positive solutions to address current problems. We hope that you will find these blog entries engaging and thought-provoking as you reflect on the impact your own communication choices have in your life and the lives of those around you.