Body Language

Your feet act as pointers, signalling where your mind is going. Like a magnet,

they point in the direction of someone who appeals to you.

Ros is a vivacious, attractive woman who men flock to. At a recent party she

was flanked by a group of three men who struggled to take their eyes off her.

Each man stood with his front foot pointed toward her, silently indicating his

interest. Her feet shifted from man to man, reeling each of them in like a fish

on the line until she shifted her foot position towards her next target. All the

time, her face was smiling and her body was in an open position, demonstrat-

ing her ingenuousness and warmth.

If you want to show someone that you find him attractive, point your foot in

his direction. When you’re interested in a particular conversation, or another

person, place one foot forward towards the person, shortening the distance

between the two of you. If you’re not interested in the person, or in what he’s

saying, keep your feet back. If you’re seated, and are speaking with another

person who holds no interest for you, pull your feet back under your chair.

If you’re in conversation with another person and notice that he doesn’t

seem entirely engaged with you, look at where his feet are pointing.

Wolfgang and Daniela were at a party. It was late and Wolfie was tired, bored,

and wanted to be in his own bed watching television. While he and Daniela

were saying their good-byes, Wolfie couldn’t understand why he was having

so much difficulty in getting Daniela to leave. Had Wolfie looked, he would

have seen that while they were saying goodbye to their host, Daniela’s feet

remained pointed in the host’s direction, whereas Wolfie’s feet were heading

towards the door.

Fidgeting feet.......................................................................................

Fidgeting feet are a good indicator of someone’s impatience threshold. The

feet say they want to flee and so are forced to fidget until the time comes to

walk or run. If you’re standing, you may repeatedly tap your foot to indicate

your impatience. If you’re sitting with your legs crossed, you may twitch the

hanging foot up and down, or back and forth.

To appear calm on the outside when everything inside’s in a panic, breathe

from your abdomen, adjust your stance, and let your feet take root.

Knotted ankles ....................................................................................

Whether you’re sitting or standing, if you’ve knotted or twisted your ankles

together, the sign you’re giving is that you’re locked in and not budging.

Locked ankles reflect a closed, insecure, or a negative attitude, suggesting

174 Part III: The Trunk: Limbs and Roots