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The Basics of Reading Body Language on a Date

The Basics of Reading Body Language on a Date


The ability to score a date on an online social network or dating app is truly enviable, but it’s basically meaningless if you bollix the live action event. The truth is: it’s far much harder to be funny, charming and enthralling when you sit face to face with your sweetheart. While chatting online, words (and sometimes smileys) take care of the wooing, while on the actual date you need to pay attention to other fine details as well, starting with the appearance, hand movements, gestures etc. And let us tell you a secret: body language is a far more accurate gauge for your success than words, which tells you the future of your relationship way before your date would say anything.

The eyes tell you everything

Asking anyone about the topic of body language, the first thing they mention that captures their attention are the eyes. After all, they are the windows of the soul, says the proverb. It’s a good sign when your date keeps constant eye contact with you, since it proves that you are interesting. When your partner eyes you completely up and down, it means that what you say may not be of interest, but they like what they see. On the other hand, gazing in the distance or darting to other objects or people is a bad sign. An angry shoot can also mean that your joke was not well received.

Other important factors in body language include the posture (leaning forward is good), the fingers (tapping the table means boredom, while playful touches on your hands are thumbs up), and legs (shuffling the feet generally means confusion). The art of reading body language can be hardly mastered in one occasion, and you should look for more in-depth material on the internet or in a guide book.

Practice makes perfect

Learning how to evaluate your date’s body language can be tricky. The key word is subtleness. If your partner notices that you are staring at every little movement with bulging eyes, then you’ll definitely have to resume the online dating on the next day. It’s also a bad sign if you focus so strongly on evaluating the body language that the conversation runs dry. Build up your experience by practicing a lot. The concept is that you chat, tell jokes and try to make him/her feel good during the date, while secretly taking note of the body language. If you see your partner is bored, quickly change the subject, or throw in a joke. You may even try to force a reaction by making a sudden move. Lean a bit closer, and whisper something flirty. In case your partner shies away, then your date is a lost case. But if it’s received well, then you are on the right track!

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