It is very important for one to be observant of his body language, and those of other people as well. You can read other people by learning how to understand how they act and move. But you must also be aware that there are people who know how to interpret body language, and somebody may already be reading you now. Thus, be cautious of actions by knowing when to use them and what to avoid.
At Work
It is always relevant to be in your best self at work. By doing so, you can impress your boss and please clients. Simply be confident when facing somebody. If you are relaxed, other people would not regard you as overconfident. Show them you truly know what you are talking about by maintaining good posture, eye contact and using appropriate hand gestures.
During A Date
How can you give signs that you are indeed attracted to another person without telling them verbally how you really feel? The solution is simple. Talk with your eyes and match it with a bright smile. These two are enough to let somebody know you are indeed enjoying his or her company.
You would know that the date is going well when signals of flirtation are present. A woman would tend to touch her hair, lick her lips, eat or drink slowly, and preen. Meanwhile, a man would usually wink, close the distance between them, lean forward, and stand tall. Bottom line is both sexes want to impress their partner by showing the masculinity or sexiness through actions. And these signs are indeed just the beginning of a higher level in the relationship.
Acts You Must Practice To Avoid
There are many kinds of gestures that you must practice to avoid. At work, try to hide your anxiety or tension by avoiding fidgeting, trembling, or shaking. Avoid excessive hand movements when talking, since this could distract others from focusing on your statements. Avoid also excessive blinking; this shows you are are uneasy and nervous. Stop looking at your watch or the clock. This is very rude since you are giving an impression that you want to end the interaction right away. Do not stroke you chin, lean on an elbow, and fake a smile.
When on a date, it would be much more polite if you directly say “no” rather than showing signals of rudeness to the person if you are uninterested or getting bored. Do not sigh, look at other people other than your partner, slouch, and prop your head on your hands.
Observe Cultural Differences
The appropriate use of body language also depend on where you are and who you are interacting with. You may be talking to somebody with a very conservative culture and regards some gestures rude and disrespectful, even if they are normally used in your place.
Detecting Lies In Body Language
All of us have experienced lying, and many of us may even think they are already good at it. But how would you know if your partner, friend, sibling, lover, co-staff, acquaintance, or even a stranger is lying to you? What are the different clues to detect lying? The solution is simple: read and interpret his or her body language.
Signs To Look For
The most common signs of lying that you should look for are signs of nervousness, stress, anxiety, tension, defense, and discomfort. These will be evidenced by different gestures, facial expressions, actions, or mannerisms. And among them are self-touching, speech errors, speech hesitations, different eye movements, discrepancies in the body and posture, and many more.
Touching Self
Self touches are also known as adaptors. Liars would tend to touch or rub their nose, scratch their forehead, play with the hair, wring or twist their fingers, cover the mouth, and the like. The urge of frequent self touching indicates extreme nervousness and increasing tension. However, there are some people that have already trained themselves to avoid using these adaptors. Thus, detecting other clues is relevant.
Speech Errors And Hesitations
People who lie, especially those caught in the act, stumble over their speech, stutter, or even mispronounce. Voice pitch will somehow ascend and pacing is faster. However, clues in the speech is tricky. A person may already have speech defects at birth or it may be normal for that person to speak in a fast pace. These are only helpful if you are already familiar with how the person speaks.
Eye Movements
The eyes are the loudest channel of honesty and lies. Eye movements that may indicate lying include lateral movement, squinting, frequent blinking, and looking away. Pupil dilation also occurs during a state of tension, but this is not easy to observe. For ages, it was believed that the inability to hold one’s gaze for a long time indicates lying. However, many people are already aware of this and practice over time how to lie even with eye contact.
Be Happy – Use Body Language Prudently.