7 things you tell people without saying a word

Flickr/Strelka Institute for Media

I shared an infographic recently that has really had me thinking about the impressions we make on others.

Have you ever gotten the cold shoulder and wondered what you might have done to deserve it?

Or been passed over for something you were sure you had in the bag -- whether it was a sale, a deal, or a promotion -- and not been able to pinpoint where it went wrong?

When I wrote about the 8 things people decide about you in just seconds, I found it interesting, but also a bit discouraging.

Scientific studies prove that each of us have biases that basically create a filter through which we see the world and people around us. It's great to know what those biases might be, but it all feels a bit out of your control then, doesn't it?

I mean, it's one thing to know people tend to perceive men with shaved heads as more dominant, but what can you do with that information? (Besides the obvious, and I'm going to assume that maybe you don't want to shave your head if you haven't already.)

Some of the things people subconsciously judge others on aren't even traits you could easily change. People with a loose gait are perceived as more adventurous, while those who walk with a clipped gait are seen as neurotic.

Are you really going to spend a lot of time changing the way you walk in your pursuit of success?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably not.

There's an old saying I love: "You can't change what people do to you, but you can change how you react to it."

In that same spirit, it makes sense then that you can't change how people are going to judge you, but you can control what you put out there. Being cognizant of your own non-verbal cues can help you make a great impression, regardless of the biases of others.

Check out these 11 things you may be telling people with saying a word:

1. "Welcome."

Joe Navarro, a 25-year FBI veteran and behavioral analysis expert, says that when we see someone we really like, "our eyebrows will arch defying gravity, our facial muscles will relax, and our arms become more pliable (even extended) so we can welcome this person."

2. "I'm pretty unreliable."

Ouch. This isn't something you want to convey at all, but being "fashionably" late tells a person that you're unreliable and don't value their time.

3. "We have something in common."

Or ... we don't. We're attracted to other people we believe are like us. Psychologist and business consultant Valerie White says, "People respond when you speak at their pace." Mirror the body language of the person you're speaking with to establish an instant rapport.