Mastering Body Language: How to Understand Non-verbal Communication

A confident man in a suit sitting in an office chair, gesturing with his hands while looking out of a large window with a city skyline in the background.


Table of Content


Eyes

  • 🧿 Looking straight ahead: Usually a good sign of interest.
  • ↖️ Looking up and to the left: Often an indication of thinking about experiences and emotions.
  • ⬅️ Looking to the left: Often an indication of remembering a sound or checking how to get away from you.
  • ↗️ Looking up and to the right: Often an indication of remembering recent experience and thinking logically.
  • ⬆️ Looking up: Often an indication of careful thinking, weighing both emotion and logic.
  • ⬇️ Looking down: Often an indication of submission or guilt. It may also indicate disinterest.


Feet

  • ➡️⬅️ Pointing toes inwards: Often an indication of closing themselves off, feeling awkward or insecure.
  • ߷ Fidgeting: Often an indication of wanting out of a situation, feeling insecure, or not sure how to manage the situation, the body is getting ready to take “flight“.
  • Crossing legs: People tend to point the top leg towards the who they feel is most approachable.
  • 🚪 Toes towards the door: Tend to signify being ready to end the conversation and move on.


Lips

  • 👄 Puckered: Typically indicate disapproval, frustration, or discomfort.
  • Pursed: Often signifies deep thought, concentration, or withholding emotions.
  • 🫦 Lip biting: Could indicate a nervous habit showing anxiety or anger, or in some situations indicate arousal.
  • 👁👁 👄 Looking at your lips: May indicate that the person is finding you difficult to understand, or in some situations indicate that the person would like to kiss you.


Hands

  • ✋ Palms up / open: Often signals openness, honesty, and a willingness to engage.
  • 🤚Palms down: Can convey authority, dominance, or assertiveness.
  • Clenched fist: Tend to reflect strong emotions, associated with anger, frustration, or determination.
  • Chopping movements: Often used to emphasize a point or to convey authority.
  • 👉 Finger pointing: Can indicate blame, accusation, or emphasis on a particular point.
  • Steepling: Suggests confidence, authority, or intellectual superiority.


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