Self-Deviation, Essay Example

As an athlete, I have always pursued an active and healthy lifestyle which means regularly engaging in physically intense activity such as gym and sports and having a healthy diet. Those who know me are aware of the fact that fruits and vegetables are important part of my diet and moreover, I rarely go to fast food restaurant. I closely watch what I eat and drink which also means sugary drinks such as soda are only occasional treats, sometimes only once a week.

I go to gym about five days a week and almost always the same days, thus, my friends know my gym schedule. This assignment required me to be quite different from the ‘normal’ self, thus, I skipped gym even though my friends knew it’s my workout day. They only got more confused when they saw me coming to the apartment with two Big Macs, French fries, and a big soda drink from McDonald’s. I ate everything by myself and didn’t even both asking anyone if they may like something even though I do usually ask when I bring something home. For dinner, I ordered takeout from Pizza Hut and again ate the small pizza by myself.

Next day, my friends came to me and asked me if I may be alright. One speculated I might have broken up with a significant other while another thought I might have lost a close family member or friend which has driven me to such an extreme behavior. They even offered to listen to me if I might have wanted to share something to ease the burden. I looked at their faces and could tell they were seriously concerned, thus, I disclosed to them it was all an act as part of an assignment.

This exercise has made me realized we are often communicating with others even if we may not realize it. Everything we do sends a particular message to the others. This exercise clearly demonstrates communication is not always verbal but also non-verbal. I have also learnt that we are usually good at detecting unusual messages even if they may be non-verbal.