Can I read your mind? Yes! Anyone can learn how to read minds! Expert body language can be applied to learn how someone feels and thinks in everyday life. These are a few of basics that will get you started reading minds.
First things first! You can’t just walk into the world and expect to read people because you know a few signs! There are a couple of very important notes to apply to this art before you can expect to read minds accurately.
You need to know when and where to look for these signs first. Here is a simple example to show you what I mean.
Lets say if you are talking about Hawaii and you say “Hawaii is a great place to go surfing!”and the other person gives you a sign of disgust when you mention Hawaii, well this means they still might like surfing but not hawaii.
First pay attention to when the body language becomes apparent then pay attention to what it is. This is one of the most important things to remember when reading people!
Too many times people assume someone is feeling upset, doesn’t like them or is lying to them. This is a bad habit people have gotten into that causes mistakes to be made when reading people. There are many signs for every emotion so look for more then one sign to back up how the person is feeling before you pass judgment!
Just to touch on this briefly as you will start to find yourself noticing how you are standing and feeling more as you learn about body language. Remember that just because you are in that body position doesn’t necessarily mean that is how you feel.
Some signs can relate to more then just one emotion. (which is why you always look for more then one sign) For example, next time you are in a aggressive state of mind, take notice all your body language. Then next time you are showing these signs you will more likely be aggressive nature then just feeling superior.
This is simply going to be a run through of a few of the basic body language signs you may encounter.
These positions are often related to being defensive or relaxed. If you are in a closed position it means you have created a barrier between yourself and something else by having your arms or legs crossed, or moving an object in front of you like a salt shaker on a table.
If you are in an open position with your arms at your sides it is usually a sign of being relaxed and comfortable with what is around you.
So can I read your mind? Yes! but these are only the basic signs for each of these categories. In order to become great at reading other people there is always more to learn. Fortunately it gets easier and easier as you learn and will eventually become second nature.
Categories: Body Language | May 8th, 2012 | by Anthony Almeida | no comments
It only takes about seven seconds to determine someones mood by the look on their face. Body language is something that is considered louder than actually speaking. On most occasions, unless you are very good at hiding it, most people can detect what mood you are in without you even saying a word. Your body movement gives away how you are feeling, whether it is angry, sad, happy etc. In relationships, your lifelong goal should be to be able to express yourself with proper communication. Not expressing yourself properly can cause lots of problems if your partner does not understand how you are feeling. Humans must be able to express reasoning, solutions and conclusions in ways that interest the listener or else they have no meaning.
Subconsciously our bodies are sending signals to people around us about our mood, feelings, and attitude towards things.
Figuring out what kind of messages you send out requires you to take note of how you use your body.
Since ancient times, body language has been used by humans. Before words existed, humans would use body language to communicate and express their needs and wants. It was the only way for people to communicate. By instinct, their brains knew fear, hunger, love, anger, and happiness. To express these feelings the body would display them through our faces, hands and legs.
Body language is almost always needed to make a distinct decision about how someone is feeling. If you talked to a friend or a loved one on the phone, you may have noticed that sometimes its hard to tell if they are being serious, joking or even angry about something. This confusion is the result of no visual body language. Your actions reveal more about a you then most people realize.
Categories: Body Language | May 4th, 2012 | by Anthony Almeida | no comments
Those days everybody talks about body language – performance experts, life coaches, gossip columnists and dating gurus.
But do you know what body language is?
The dictionary gives this definition to ‘body language’: “The gestures, postures, and facial expressions by which a person manifests various physical, mental, or emotional states and communicates nonverbally with others.”
I have been interested in body language for years, and after reading a few dozens of books, all you need to know can be summarized in 4 simple points:
1. Body Language Is A Form Of Communication
Whether you realize it or not, your body sends unmistakable signals to people around you.
You DO communicate VOLUMES of information about yourself with your posture, face expression and position of your arms and legs. You do it ALL THE TIME.
In other words, before you even open your mouth, the people around you have already made a certain opinion about you – and as you know, first impressions last.
Body language accounts for 55% of your communication with the people you actually talk to (and nearly 100% of your communication with the people you don’t know yet). The other 45% of your interactive communication is the VOICE TONE and ACTUAL WORDS. The words themselves account for only 7% of your communication.
All in all, your body language and the tone of your voice make up a whopping 93% of your communication with other people!
This means that HOW you say it is 13 times MORE important than WHAT you say.
Most people are spending all their time thinking of WHAT to say. While they could have learned only once HOW to say it – and say nearly anything with grandiose success.
What to know how?
Read on.
2. There Is OPEN Body Language and CLOSED Body Language
The definitions are transparent: ‘open’ body language makes you look like an open, accepting and friendly person, and ‘closed’ body language makes you look reserved, distant and unwelcoming.
When you want people to be attracted to you, use open body language. When you want people to go away, use closed body language.
It’s THAT simple.
3. OPEN Body Language Means NO Crossing, Covering or Hiding
Open body language is easy to master: look them in the eyes, don’t cross your arms or legs, don’t cover your body, and don’t hide your palms and eyes.
That’s it!
This is not too complicated, is it?
Let me break it down into pieces for you:
- LOOK THEM IN THE EYES: maintain eye contact at all times during your conversation.
Looking people in the eyes is the most important part of the open body language. It has been scientifically proven that long gazes evoke the release of the same hormones that are produced when we are in love – they will feel attracted to you and won’t even know why.
- KEEP YOUR PALMS OPEN: Keep your hands on the sides of your body; don’t hide your hands in your pockets and don’t sit on them.
Don’t fold your arms or clench your fists. Don’t cover your body with your arms. Don’t grab a drink or handbag with both hands. Don’t touch your face, ears or neck – this shows insecurity and anxiety.
If you need to hold something in your hands, hold it with ONE hand only and keep it to the side, so your arm doesn’t cover your body. If the conversation is going to be longer than a couple of replicas, put down anything you hold. Get a shoulder bag to keep your hands free at all times.
- KEEP YOUR LEGS UNCROSSED: Don’t cross your legs on any level. Keep them apart.
- TURN YOUR BODY TOWARDS THEM: Turn your whole body to face them. Point your feet towards them; turn your torso face-to-face, so the angle between you and them is minimal.
- STAND TALL: You appear more confident and assured when you do.
- REMOVE BARRIERS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM: Don’t put chairs, or glasses, or anything else between you and the person you are talking to. Keep it open.
- SMILE EASILY: There is a world of difference between smiling easily and smiling all the time.
Smiling all the time means you are feeling tense and trying to cover it up. Smiling easily means you feel comfortable and can open up into smile any time you want.
If you tend to smile all the time when meeting strangers, try to deliberately DON’T smile. Look them in the eyes, and keep a friendly, tall, and open posture – but DON’T SMILE. When you master that, start smiling after a minute or two in your conversation.
Start practicing open body language with shop assistants and bank tellers: they are PAID to be nice to you. Notice what a difference it has on your communication.
4. CLOSED Body Language Means Crossing, Covering or Hiding
Sometimes you don’t want to attract certain people; this is what you need to do in such cases:
- Don’t look them in the eyes;
- Fold your arms or hide your hands in the pockets;
- Turn your body away from them;
- Cross your legs and point your feet away from them;
- Put barriers between you and them;
- Frown, or smile all the time a strained smile.
This will make them feel uncomfortable and they will try to avoid you.
You see, body language is not complicated at all.
In any social situation, you can see how the people around you feel. Most of them will display ‘closed’ body language – and you know what does it mean, they feel uncomfortable and apprehensive.
Which means that if you display the ‘open’ body language, you will be irresistibly attractive. They won’t know why but feel drawn to you. People usually describe it as, “You have something special about you”, or “a presence”.
If you start consciously ‘open’ yourself to other people, you will notice the change in your communication almost immediately. Open body language makes you appear more approachable and trustworthy. It will also make you feel more comfortable and relaxed in any situation.
