Breaking Out Your Stickiest Gaze for Sticky Social Situations

When you’re busy focusing on the words coming out of your mouth, you’re probably not even considering what you’re saying with your body language.

We all know the basics of body language – nod your head for yes, shake it for no, cross your arms if you’re mad, stand tall if you’re confident, frown if you’re sad. But have you ever considered what your smallest and most imperceptible body movements could mean?

A lot of the time, when we’re talking to someone we like and know well, we become instantly relaxed and feel naturally happy, but take a moment to think how this familiarity affects your body language.

Yes, you smile bigger and more often and probably stand with a more relaxed stance, but have you ever considered what your eyes are saying in a conversation with a close friend?

Those soft, warm sensations that you get when you’re talking to someone you know well and feel fondly towards reflect in your eyes, making your gaze all warm and fuzzy. It’s a relaxation of your eye lids that oozes familiarity and amiability and it’s called “sticky eyes” (Really scientific, we know).

According to a Yahoo article about body language, you can activate your “sticky eyes” even when you’re talking to a stranger by “pretending your eyes are glued to your conversation partner’s with sticky and warm taffy.”

If that sounds a little too weird for your taste, try at least pretending you like the person across from you at a party, laugh a little more, even if for no reason, take a deep breath and relax your shoulders, and let your eyelids fall just slightly.

Feigning relaxation in a social situation conveys confidence and by locking your softest, warmest gaze with a stranger in conversation, you can make them feel more comfortable and confident talking to you.

The Hawk presents: How to make Instant Friends!