We have written about reading and interpreting body language quite a bit already here. We gave a lot of examples and detailed explanation for
- the language of eyes;
- common body language signs;
- signs of lying and body language of a liar;
- types of smiles;
- body language flirting signs and signals where we explained what precisely makes someone appear sexually attractive;
- we even explained how to make someone to fall in love with you with simple eye contact.
If you are interested in body language you will enjoy reading the articles above. Before you jump into reading however, look at this video below:
MAYBE from Urban Theory Films on Vimeo.
What do you think? It seems like reading their body language is so easy; they almost seem transparent! However, interpreting body language in real life is not as simple as this video might suggest. Signs and signals used in real life are not nearly as obvious and you need a lot of skill and experience to accurately interpret others. This is particularly true when you yourself are involved.
Here is what you should keep in mind at all times:
- some signs may speak volumes in one context and be completely meaningless in another context;
- not every move has to mean something;
- some common body language signs differ from one culture to another. A simple nod means “yes” in most countries, but also means “no” in some areas in India and Bulgaria;
- some cultures have their own body language which you won’t be able to understand unless you spend serious amount of time in that culture;
- everything is relative in body language;
- weight gain, ill-fitting clothes, sickness and emotional condition may and do affect people’s body language;
- awareness of other people’s presence or being in certain place such as work or police station will affect body language.
Keep in mind that in most cases there is possibility of error on your part. They key to correct interpretation of body language is your ability to think holistically. You should consider all factors mentioned above while also being aware that you might be making errors because you want things to be certain way or because of your bias.
For example, if you dislike your boss, you might be subconsciously looking for signs to confirm he is an evil person. Or if you have a romantic interest in someone, you might give too much weight to completely meaningless gestures.
So before assuming that someone is deeply in love with you or that your boss dislikes you, take time to read this page.
In addition, remember this: while it might seem that being able to read others’ body language is a kind of super-power, improving your own body language is much more powerful and will have much more dramatic effect on your life. If you need examples, watch video available on this page.
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