Words are extraordinarily powerful. Words paint pictures to convey attitudes, convictions, commitment, honesty, anger, confidence, learning and opinions. What we say verbally, we convey into meaning immediately.What we don't say means even more, but is open to subjective interpretation. What was she really trying to tell me when she kept spinning the necklace back and forth on her neck? Were we breaking off the relationship? Non-verbal communication has been hard wired into our brains since prehistoric times. We subconsciously use non-verbal communication to express many emotions and attitudes while we absorb both conscious and unconscious signals from others.1) Does my new man, or my lady like me or am I just imagining the rapport?2) My boss is well-respected and a nice person, but he always acts very distant in individual settings with me, am I getting a little paranoid?3) My co-worker acts nervous when we discuss certain types of work-related issues?4) I don't understand why I am not comfortable with my new advisor, doesn't he/she understand what I am feeling about losing money?5) My spouse's family seems distrustful of me.Wouldn't we like to have a better sense of what the non-verbal signals communicated to us mean?According to Mr Joe Navarro, the key to our success is the way that we communicate and observe non-verbally on a daily basis.Mr Joe Navarro, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, has innovated and refined the science of interpretation of nonverbal communication. He is in consulting demand on a global basis with businesses and law enforcement agencies teaching application of skills garnered from 30 years of extensive experience, 25 of those years with the Service.As he stated in the forward of his book, when he was eight years old, his family left Cuba as refugees for the United States. He was not English literate, but discovered that he did have another language, the language of non-verbal behavior observation. He found that even at his young age, he could quickly figure out how to operate successfully within the parameters of his new life. He discovered, for instance, that the teachers and friends who really liked him would arch their eyebrows; those that did not, tended to squint at him.Mr Navarro also learned non-verbal communication reading from the teachings of his parents, and grandmother. He dedicated his book to her and her wonderful ways with people. In his words, she was a master of small behaviours with great significance; a smile, a head tilt, a gentle touch at the right time that can convey so much; it can even heal.We use our facial expressions, eyes, nose, lips, to express surprise, displeasure, anxiety, serenity, happiness, confidence. Many of these expression are brief and unnoticed. Our eyes (pupils) - some say, the mirrors of our soul, dilate when we find something favorable, and contract when we feel threatened or unhappy.Our nose crinkles, we bite our lips, compress our mouths, or purse our lips when we feel concerned, or at a disadvantage. We lift our chins and tilt our heads when we are happy, confident, or relating well to someone we know and like.We engage in numerous neck touching positions, from rubbing, to moving jewellery back and forth, to tie adjusting and so on.Our hands are masters of expression. The way we hold and present our hands can convey numerous messages to those who carefully observe. The placement of the fingers, the palms can signify high or low confidence.The touch of hands, on a friend's shoulder, or hand, convey more than words. Scientifically, there is much research documenting that human touch actually generates the release of oxytocin, a natural drug within the body that has a calming influence.We also use body language: some people tend to crowd into your space, an unpleasant feeling while others will holdback. Friends tend to face each other; less familiar individuals will adopt a more sidewise stance.In reading these descriptions, you may feel this is rather trite - since you see everyone's expressions every day. But consider this, if 60 to 80 percent of your communication is actually non-verbal (yes, that is a statistic), how are you really communicating with your boss, your client, your spouse, your partner, your family, and conversely, they with you? Not by what you are saying, but by what you are conveying!What we truly do not realise is that we use non-verbal communication to express a whole host of attributes and emotions: trust, anger, disgust, disrespect, delight, love, excitement, depression, anxiety, honesty and caring. Let's see how many more non-verbal actions you can come up with that do not use a single spoken word.Non-verbal communication reading is not a detection method to discover whether someone is lying or telling the truth. Assessment and understanding of nonverbal behavior is a valuable tool for the individual to use in getting ahead in a career, achieving more harmonious relationships with friends and family, and assisting in empathetic caring for those who struggle to function successfully on a social basis.Maybe it is time to pay attention to the non-verbal cues and the clues in your life, rather than listening to the Bermujian verds.What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People. With documented research, observations on his career as a federal investigator with the F.B.I, and his work with various business industries, this book is fascinating for its scientific exploration into the interpretation of body language and non-verbal communication even for the individual reader. I recommend it highly for those who want to succeed at social skills, closer family communications and a better work environment. It is a good read, and he is an excellent speaker.And, no, I do not receive referrals or fees for this recommendation.Sources; Joe Navarro, M.A. Featured speaker at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Advanced Personal Financial Planning conference, January 11, 2011.What Every BODY is Saying:An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People, 2008. Joe Navarro, M.A., www.JNForensics.comMartha Harris Myron JP CPA/PFS CFP(US) TEP is an international Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and partner with Patterson Partners Ltd specialising in cross border tax planning, retirement, and estate strategies for dual Bermuda residents with foreign nationals with cross-border and multi-national connections, and US citizens living abroad.She is a Masters in Law candidate, and the American Citizens Abroad contact for Bermuda www. aca.org and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Advanced Personal Financial Planning Conference Committee.For more information, contact martha.myron[AT]gmail.com or 296 3528.