Nonverbal communication tips?

I reckon this is a pretty solid topic... if you actually want to think about it for a second. 😉
The reality is that non-verbal cues make up a massive chunk of how we communicate—honestly, in a lot of cases, they carry way more weight than what's actually coming out of someone's mouth. It’s how people "shout" without ever saying a word.
Now, all that playing detective stuff—trying to sniff out who’s lying, who’s faking it, or who’s just acting confused? I don't really care for it; seems kind of pointless to me.
But a whole different ballgame is whether an individual is even aware of their own "non-verbal communication"—you know, that whole body language thing...

William Gonzalez3 said:you’re talking about someone who isn't supposed to be flirting.
but they're doing it anyway..

Do I know you? 🤔

William Gonzalez3 said:don't go thinking anyone is judging you for it..

and is it really something worth judging? 😕

William Gonzalez3 said:we're just trying to suggest you take a closer look at what you're actually doing and think about why he perceives it as flirting.

Then that sounds like his issue... honestly, it feels a bit like "wishful thinking" on his part. 😉
it's not my personal problem, don't worry🙂
The whole thing was just an example of how some people take things way too literally, completely ignoring everything we know about non-verbal communication. It's not just body language; there's a massive amount of context to consider, which is what I was getting at.

I get it.

I'm just messing around a little bit.
But now, I'm heading out to a certain spot.
Maybe you could try to guess—based purely on my nonverbal cues—which one...

🙂 🙂 🙂🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🤮 🤮

They don't have even the slightest clue😬 😁 😉

So, what’s your deal, you total vibe-killer... can't a person just read the room based on pure energy alone?😁

Alright, let me hear it...
I can think of two!
The first one is when someone crosses their arms right at the hip level—total defensive mode.
And then there’s when a person starts fidgeting or rubbing their hand against their other arm; that's usually a sign their brain is working overtime.

What others have you guys picked up on?

I’ve heard that if you can actually sync up your breathing with the person you’re talking to, you can basically nudge their behavior... like, it makes them way more open to whatever you're trying to sell them on.

Henry Moore2 said:I’ve heard that if you can actually sync up your breathing with the person you’re talking to, you can basically nudge their behavior... like, it makes them way more open to whatever you're trying to sell them on.

Wait, I had no idea! Definitely going to give that a shot... thanks!

I mean, sure, you can mess with someone's head or throw them off the scent, but at some point, that just crosses a line and becomes plain wrong🙂

There are all sorts of ways to dig up a lie or spot when someone is just making stuff up out of thin air...

I know the signs—when his eyes start darting around and he’s practically swallowing his own words just to keep the lie going.

And then there's that fake, forced smile...

Anonymous said:I know the signs—when his eyes start darting around and he’s practically swallowing his own words just to keep the lie going.

And then there's that fake, forced smile...

But you're really going there...

If his eyes are wandering, maybe he's just about to snap.
If he's swallowing hard, maybe his throat just hurts.

And this is all supposed to be nonverbal communication: 🙂

So what does that actually mean?

Do I have big ears?
A long tongue?
Or am I just being submissive?

You know, there’s this old bit of body language theory floating around: when someone crosses their legs, the direction of the top leg actually points toward the person they're most attracted to. For instance, if you’re chatting with someone and they suddenly pivot those crossed legs away from you? It’s a dead giveaway that you just said something totally off-base.

Henry Moore2 said:I’ve heard that if you can actually sync up your breathing with the person you’re talking to, you can basically nudge their behavior... like, it makes them way more open to whatever you're trying to sell them on.

And don't even get me started on how easy it is to completely screw over the person you're talking to 😉

think about it: when you're just standing there in a group having some casual conversation, people naturally gravitate toward whoever their feet are pointed at.

Henry Moore2 said:I mean, sure, you can mess with someone's head or throw them off the scent, but at some point, that just crosses a line and becomes plain wrong🙂

There are all sorts of ways to dig up a lie or spot when someone is just making stuff up out of thin air...

Sure, there are, but most of those tips you find in pop-science books about body language don't actually work in the real world.

I guess when someone is lying, you might notice certain tics—maybe they look away, scratch their nose, or subconsciously cover their mouth while talking.
In a conversation, rubbing your chin usually suggests you're actually interested in what's being said. A slight lean toward the other person can also signal engagement.
Keeping your palms open toward the person you're talking to is typically seen as a sign of honesty.

Then there's that specific hand posture where you rest the fingertips of one hand against the cheekbone of the other; it tends to project a sense of being totally convinced of your own point, almost in a dominant way.

Even a handshake can reveal a lot about power dynamics—whether someone is trying to dominate or act submissive depends on whether their palm is facing up or down, and obviously, how hard the grip is.

It's an interesting topic, I suppose, though some photos would probably help make these points a bit clearer.

Sandra Parker3 said:But you're really going there...

If his eyes are wandering, maybe he's just about to snap.
If he's swallowing hard, maybe his throat just hurts.

And this is all supposed to be nonverbal communication: 🙂

So what does that actually mean?

Do I have big ears?
A long tongue?
Or am I just being submissive?

It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

@10+50, don't you think all those symbols have been so well-defined over the years
which basically gives you the freedom to tweak them or use them however you damn well please 😲

With just a little bit of effort and some actual practice.

James Murphy92 said:It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

I'm a woman, or at least that's what people tell me.🙂

James Murphy92 said:It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

You're being modest.
All jokes aside... you might pull that off, but only with someone truly
Special😉

It depends. Sometimes you just get an itch, I guess. The real trick is figuring out if that feeling is actually forced or if it’s just some subconscious intuition kicking in.
How good you are at reading those cues really just comes down to practice. But after a while, once you start looking past what people are actually saying and pay attention to how they say it, you can learn a hell of a lot about someone without them ever explicitly telling you a thing.

James Murphy92 said:It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

Usually, people turn around because they think you're calling them, or maybe they think someone needs help. A few days ago, I tried a little bit of psychological suggestion myself. I asked some guy on the street what time it was, and lo and behold, he actually told me.

James Murphy92 said:It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

So, you talked to an animal using nothing but your thoughts. Great. But the real question is, did the animal actually respond to you in any way?

James Murphy92 said:It means you aren't being serious!

Usually, you can spot insecurity most clearly when someone is fidgeting with their fingers or tucking one thumb inside their other fist, kind of shrinking into themselves.

But honestly, my favorite kind of communication is when I’m looking at the back of someone's head and I just say, "Hey, turn around!" and they actually do. That internal command can be incredibly powerful and suggestive. You can even do it with animals (I've actually tried it and it worked!). My absolute dream form of communication is meeting someone where we can sit in silence for ages and still feel like everything has been said—that pure intuitive vibe is the strongest connection there is!🙄

Your neighbors would certainly appreciate that. At least there wouldn't be any noise. 🙂