how important is eye contact?

I can't make eye contact for the life of me. I don't even directly look at most people when I talk to them. I face them and have my head toward them but my eyes look in other directions. Also this is when stuff isn't even serious.
Edit: Even with school speaches I look over the aduaence so I get the points if my teacher thinks I look at people.

I am a shy person by nature but,,, I give direct eyeball to eyeball contact when I want to drive a point home... If someone looks away or blinks a lot I assume there is an untruth somewhere...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Inferius

Incredibly important.
It is the baring of the soul, the extremest form of body language (besides sex), and sometimes I can even read people's minds when I stare into their eyes.
Pisses me off when I ask someone a question and they stare away as they answer. It's dismissive.

---

maybe it isn't dismissive- perhaps they don't want you to read their mind. Maybe they are shy about sharing brain-space:stoned:

I used to be rather COY.
Pssh it's all better now, and the nicer/sincere the person is, the easier it is to look them in the eye for longer than 10 seconds. After that, it can sometimes get weird, lol...

Some people I just can't look away from though, ya know. :hippy:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Its a Plant

I used to be rather COY.
Pssh it's all better now, and the nicer/sincere the person is, the easier it is to look them in the eye for longer than 10 seconds. After that, it can sometimes get weird, lol...

Some people I just can't look away from though, ya know. :hippy:

---

I know what you mean-with some people it is as if you are falling into their soul through their eyes- thump goes my heart!

Eye contact is very important. When some one can't maintain eye contact with me when we're talking I obviously know there is something that's making them uncomfortable. If not then why would you not be making eye contact when you're talking to me? Trust me when you look nervous and don't put confidence in what you say or do people will be able to recognize straight off the type of person you are.