Finding A Voice: A Reflection on Communication

Everyday Communication

Everyday people communicate, and often without even realizing it. A polite smile to a stranger on the street, the emails you send your boss, or even the clothes you picked out in the morning are all ways people communicate. On learning about all these different communications types I'm starting to see just how the way I do it affects my life, from school to work to even my personal life. Seeing how I’ve communicated in the past, how I communicate now and how I can improve in the future.

Looking Back

In my past in almost every aspect of my life verbal communication was my downfall. It was the one form of communication I had the most trouble with. Whether it was presentations at school or being with friends there would just be times where my throat would close up and I wouldn’t and couldn’t talk. This is where nonverbal communication came in clutch in my life. When with friends and family facial expressions, gestures and rudimentary sign language were my way of communicating. At school it was more often written assignments where I shined and emotion charts on my desk for teachers. And often I found myself liking more than speaking, as to me there is so much to speak that what I really wanted to say got lost in the ruffle.

Where I Am Now

Now I still prefer other ways of communicating than just verbal communication, especially visual communication. The art of communicating through the visual medium is something very dear to me and I enjoy the fact that it almost seems like secret code. A drawing of a dandelion may just seem like a simple study but to me and my sister it represents hope and new beginnings, a symbol of closeness to us. Even in smaller ways with text emojis and gifs it's easier than using my own words. Public speaking is still something I have trouble with even all these years later  and it’s hard for me to get my ideas in order. Having an idea of who I’m speaking to and how I’m wanting to communicate with them will help in future. 

Communication is something that has always been in my life and will continue to be in many different ways. And there are always ways I want to improve, and by learning about other ways to express myself clearly I learn to communicate more effectively.