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Circle First - Puppies use the earths magnetic fiel to decide to "do their duty".




Circle First - Puppies use the earths magnetic field to decide to do their duty


Have you ever seen a dog search and circle to find the perfect place to do their thing?
I have certainly noticed it in my dog Bo. And with the snow here in Atlanta its been epically difficult for Bo to find the perfect place. When I was the  National Spokesperson for Pup-Peroni Dog treats
I was studying every piece of research on dog nonverbal behavior, but their was no research on this funny little dog dance. Now they have discovered that dogs circle for a reason. Here is the research from NPR.org.



Dog owners have all been there when walking their canine companions.
Fido sniffs the ground and maybe turns around a few times. He searches. "No, not that patch," he seems to say. "Maybe this one. ... Or over here. ... Umm, maybe not."
Then, finally, he gets into position to ... well, let's just say leave that deposit that you'll have to pick up.
According to researchers from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, the pooch might be aiming to poop along a north-south axis that lines up with the Earth's magnetic field.
In the journal Frontiers in Zoology they report that after watching 70 dogs do their business over a two-year period (1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations), they reached the conclusion that they (the dogs) preferred to do their No. 2s "aligned along the North-South axis under calm [magnetic field] conditions."
And when the magnetic field is in flux, "this directional behavior was abolished" — which might sometimes explain why your dog just can't seem to settle on a place to go.
One might ask why this discovery might be important.
Well, according to the Czech researchers, this is the first time a "measurable, predictable behavioral reaction" to the magnetic field's fluctuation has been demonstrated in mammals. And that, in turn, could mean that other behavior scientists need to "revise their former experiments and observations and consider the phenomenon in their current and future experiments." It also might mean that "biologists and physicians [should] seriously reconsider effects magnetic storms might pose on organisms."
One also might ask who had to do most of the observations. Our hats are tipped to him or her.
We should also give a nod to Taro Gomi, author of Everyone Poops, for giving us a start to our headline.











Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

What Can a Media Coach Do For You?



What Does a Media Coach Do?


A Media Coach is person who gives feedback and instruction to someone who going to be interviewed by the media. The goal of media coaching is to improve the coaching recipient's content, branding and delivery. If the person being coached is going to be interviewed on television perhaps his or her clothing and other aspects of their physical appearance may also receive recommendation for changes and improvements by the media coach. A media coach may help a client write their "talking points" that is the main points they hope to cover in the media interview as well as help them write and rehearse answers to possible questions posed by the media interviewer. Most media coaches will create and ask the "tough questions" that a news source may ask their "coachee" so that he or she will be prepared with a good, well delivered response. With coaching someone can remarkable improve their confidence, appearance, and "messaging."

People running for elected positions such as the president of the United States may get a speech coach or media coach to help them improve the way they are perceived via various media outlets. Book authors, topic experts , corporate officers and corporate spokespersons may also hire a media coach.

That is the definition here is my personal note.
You may have wondered why certain people did not get media coaching or perhaps received poor media training. Think of the deer in the headlights look given by Tiger Woods in his famous Media interviews about his infidelity or certain presidential candidates that muffed their big media moments.

I am have learned and continue to learn so much about media interviews. If you need a media coach please contact our office. Dorothy@PattiWood.net

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
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What Does a Media Coach Do?

What Does a Media Coach Do?

I am working on a contribution for Wikipedia on the definition of the term Media Coach. Here is what I have so far to explain what a media coach can do.

Media Coach is person who gives feedback and instruction to someone who going to be interviewed by the media. The goal of media coaching is to improve the coaching recipient's content, branding and delivery. If the person being coached is going to be interviewed on television perhaps his or her clothing and other aspects of their physical appearance may also receive recommendation for changes and improvements by the media coach. A media coach may help a client write their "talking points" that is the main points they hope to cover in the media interview as well as help them write and rehearse answers to possible questions posed by the media interviewer. Most media coaches will create and ask the "tough questions" that a news source may ask their "coachee" so that he or she will be prepared with a good, well delivered response. With coaching someone can remarkable improve their confidence, appearance, and "messaging."

People running for elected positions such as the president of the United States may get a speech coach or media coach to help them improve the way they are perceived via various media outlets. Book authors, topic experts , corporate officers and corporate spokespersons may also hire a media coach.

That is the definition here is my personal note.
You may have wondered why certain people did not get media coaching or perhaps received poor media training. Think of the deer in the headlights look given by Tiger Woods in his famous Media interviews about his infidelity or certain presidential candidates that muffed their big media moments.

I am have learned and continue to learn so much about media interviews. If you need a media coach please contact our office. Dorothy@PattiWood.net

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Kissing Can Helps Us Choose a Mate and Strengthen the Bond Between Mates


 
One of my favorite TV shows is THE GOOD WIFE, though my favorite part of the show are the courtroom scenes I have noticed that their is a lot of kissing on the show and recently the kissing has been hot and heavy for the husband and wife lead characters that makes sense as it strengthens the bond between mates.
  Last Valentines day I was on the Steve Harvey show talking about kissing and how men dose their kissing mates with testosterone that makes women a bit more amorous and recent research informs us that another purpose of kissing is vet the suitability of a potential mate.
 
Here is the article I read in The Times.
 
There are activities common to most humans that we enjoy immensely, without much thought, and as frequently as opportunity and instinct provide. On occasion, researchers feel they need to know why.
Recently, experimental psychologists at Oxford University explored the function of kissing in romantic relationships.
Surprise! It’s complicated.
After conducting an online survey with 308 men and 594 women, mostly from North America and Europe, who ranged in age from 18 to 63, the researchers have concluded that kissing may help people assess potential mates and then maintain those relationships.
“The repurposing of the behavior is very efficient,” said Rafael Wlodarski, a doctoral candidate and lead author of the study, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior.
But another hypothesis about kissing — that its function is to elevate sexual arousal and ready a couple for coitus — didn’t hold up. While that might be an outcome, researchers did not find sexual arousal to be the primary driver for kissing.
Participants in the survey were asked about their attitudes toward kissing in different phases of romantic relationships. They were then asked about their sexual history: for example, whether they had been more inclined toward casual encounters or long-term, committed relationships. They also had to define their “mate value” by assessing their own attractiveness. Later, during data analysis, the researchers looked at how individual differences affected a person’s thoughts on kissing.
Earlier research had suggested that in a new relationship, a romantic kiss serves to pull two relative strangers into each other’s space, their faces glued together, possibly transmitting pheromonal, sensory, even genetic cues to each other’s brain. This could be a kind of primal interview: Could this person be mating material?
Mr. Wlodarski’s results suggest a more nuanced dynamic.
The participants generally rated kissing in casual relationships as most important before sex, less important during sex, even less important after sex and least important “at other times.” (To clarify: researchers defined kissing as “on the lips or open-mouth (French).”)
Past research has shown that three types of people tend to be choosier in selecting mates who are genetically fit and compatible: women, those who rate themselves highly attractive, and those favoring casual sex. In this study, these people said that kissing was important mostly at the start of a relationship.
That may be because for these individuals, kissing turns out to be a quick, easy way to sample a partner’s suitability — a subconscious stop-go light. For them, “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” might not be far off the mark.
After that first kiss, these types are much more likely than other subjects to change their minds about a potential partner, researchers found. If it’s not in his kiss, forget about him.
But other people might use different criteria to size up their mates: men, those who rate themselves as less sexually attractive, and people looking for commitment. In the grand search for a partner, these individuals screen for people who seem to have the inclination and resources for the long haul. And for them, this study showed, kissing has a lower priority at the beginning of dating.
Particularly for men and women looking for long-term relationships, kissing serves other purposes, like relationship upkeep. They would use their orbicularis oris muscle to mediate, ameliorate and sustain their connections. They rated kissing equally important before sex and at “other times not related to sex.” For these participants, kissing was least important during sex.
Among the study’s participants who said they were in exclusive relationships, frequency of kissing, rather than of sexual intercourse, was best correlated with relationship happiness.
“You would think that intercourse would be even more bonding, more intimate, but that’s not necessarily so,” Mr. Wlodarski said. “Maybe you have a happy relationship and you don’t need more intercourse.” For contented couples, he said, kissing continued to be a conveyor of emotion.
Justin R. Garcia, an evolutionary biologist at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and a scientific adviser to Match.com who was not involved in this research, noted that kissing was so closely associated with emotional connection that sex workers often refuse to kiss their customers, insisting that it is “too intimate.”
Kissing has been shaped by both society and biology, Mr. Wlodarski noted. “In many cultures, kissing was one of the first opportunities for individuals to get close enough to sniff each other in socially acceptable ways,” he said. The Inuit press their nostrils on the cheeks or forehead of someone for whom they feel great affection, gently inhaling their scent.
Dr. Garcia, a co-author of “Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior,” said that the Oxford study contributed to growing research into factors that promote or discourage happy romantic and sexual relationships. “We really only understand a small portion of that,” he said. “But we know that physical contact, specifically good quality touch, is really important for long-term relationships.”
And perhaps not just for humans. Some animal species approximate what humans would call kissing. Chimpanzees press their mouths together. Certain parrots tap their beaks. Elephants put the tips of their trunks in one another’s mouths and swirl them about. “It’s what we biologists call an affiliative gesture,” Dr. Garcia said.
Some in Hollywood have managed to divine some of the subtleties of kissing without the benefit of Oxford researchers.
Michelle King, who with her husband, Robert, is a co-creator of CBS’s “The Good Wife,” thinks a great deal about whether and when her sexually charged characters lock lips. “We put even more emphasis on kissing than sex,” she said. “We treat it as though it has more emotional import.”
Referring to Alicia Florrick (played by Julianna Margulies), who has a wary relationship with her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Ms. King remarked, “You see Alicia having sex with Peter more frequently and recreationally than her kissing him.”
But referring to the characters Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) and Kurt McVeigh (Gary Cole), older people who have just gotten married, Ms. King said, “you only see kissing with them, and a fair amount of it. There’s a soulful connection there, and the kissing is more conventionally romantic.”
Still, she understood that viewers might wonder why the couple has not yet been seen having sex. “Production difficulties got in the way,” she said.
A version of this article appears in print on 10/29/2013, on page D6 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Now, a Kiss Isn’t Just a Kiss.


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

He is Playing With His Wedding Ring. What Does That Mean Nonverbally?


He is Playing With His Wedding Ring. What Does That Body Language Mean?

When we look at the data from this blog the post that get the most hits are couples sleep positions and
What does playing with a wedding ring mean. There is actually no current research studies on the topic. However, because this question is asked so often I have observed over the years two things. First that many single women and married women want to know what it means.

The second if you are wondering what it means and your curiosity is driving you to this post I would hazard to guess you are anxious and stressed. Your central nervous system stress when you see human behavior that does not make sense to you. When for example the body language and the words spoken don't align. So for example a man says he cares for you, but does not where the wedding ring you have him or plays with he plays with it when he is out with you and their are other attractive women around, or you are single and out with a business colleague and he is flirting with you subtly while playing with a wedding ring that his wife gave him. There is mismatch there and it drives the limbic brain crazy and alerts the central nervous system to stress mode. (The stress responses are freeze flee, fight, fall or faint) So if you see the behavior and for a moment your freeze in place and are speechless be wary and know that something is very wrong.  

Side note. I am fascinated with autobiographies and biographies of women. I read Elizabeth Edwards Autobiography a few years ago and was struck by a chapter where she discusses how her husband keeps loosing his wedding band when he goes out running and how she in an effort to help him goes out and busy several wedding bands for him so he will always have one. The writing in that section was so odd and stilted. You know she wanted to say, I know my husband is cheating on me, but darn it I am going to fight for this relationship.


The Wedding Ring and Human Behavior: Current Research and Future Directions

Why some married people don't wear a wedding ring.
 
Some married people don’t wear a wedding ring. And some Facebook users tell the rest of the world everything about themselves except that they are in a relationship or married.
I am sure there are many good reasons why some married people don’t wear a wedding ring; for example, they may be allergic to gold, silver, or platinum. And the same may be true for those who don’t disclose their relationship status on Facebook.
Allergies aside, a good explanation for some people’s reluctance to advertise their marital or relationship status is that they are still (unofficially) on the mating market and want to keep their options open. Many married men and women who engage in extra-marital affairs, of course, are happy to wear a wedding ring, only to take it off before they go to a party without their spouse. Taking the wedding ring off and putting it back on repeatedly, however, can be risky because sooner or later you will forget to do the right thing with the right person. Living a double life, with and without the wedding ring, also increases the chances that you lose the damn ring and then are forced to make up some awkward story about how this happened. To curb people’s temptation to take off their wedding ring before they go on a date with someone they met online, a company that specializes in manufacturing and selling original gifts, called The Cheeky, has just released on the market an Anti-Cheating Ring (http://thecheeky.com/anti-cheating-ring), which has a negative engraving on the inside such that when you take off the ring, it leaves a mark on the finger’s skin that says “I’m married.”

With or without the engraving, the wedding ring is already supposed to work as an anti-cheating device. It’s a signal meant to inform others that the person who wears the ring is married and already committed to a relationship. All wedding rings look similar because it is important that the signal be recognized for what it is, and not mistaken for a random piece of jewelry. For those of us who study human behavior from an evolutionary perspective, the wedding ring is a fascinating cultural invention that says a lot about human nature and our mating system.

Since the wedding ring has a lot to do with monogamy and commitment, and the risk of betrayal and extramarital affairs, one could think of many studies that evolutionary psychologists might do to compare married people who wear and don’t wear rings in terms of their commitment to their spouse, or their tendency to cheat, or the overall stability and longevity of their marriage (one could also study the mating behavior of people who are not married but wear a wedding ring, and I suspect there are quite a few of them out there). Surprisingly, these studies haven’t been done. After doing a search for evolutionary psychology scientific articles using wedding ring as a key word, I found only one article, published in 2003 in the journal Human Nature. The article reported an experiment conducted by two Swedish researchers, Tobias Uller and Christoffer Johannson, to investigate whether women who have a brief conversation with two strange men, one who wears a wedding ring and the other who doesn’t, report the man with the ring to be more desirable than the other one. The researchers wanted to know whether, when it comes to choosing a man as a potential mate and in the absence of other information, a woman copies the choices made by other women. Since a man wearing a wedding ring has already been chosen as a husband by a woman, while a man without a ring presumably hasn’t and is therefore an unknown entity (or worse, he has been previously considered but discarded as a potential husband), a woman should play safe and choose a man who has a proven track record. In the experiment conducted by Uller and Johansson, however, the women found the men with and without the wedding ring equally desirable, or undesirable. For this being the only published study of the effects of wedding rings on human behavior, its results are rather unexciting.
But there is something else I found on the Internet. Andrew Harrell, a social psychologist at the University of Alberta, conducted a rather bizarre study of people who wear or don’t wear wedding rings. He furtively observed adults with children (estimated to be between one and seven years-old) in supermarkets and compared how often people who did or didn’t wear a wedding ring let the child wander more than 10 feet away in the supermarket. Harrell presented the results of this study at a conference a few years ago. He found that of the 862 adult-child pairs he observed, about 14% of the caretakers lost sight of their charges at least once. However, attractive young men and women without wedding rings lost sight of children significantly more frequently than everybody else (25% and 19% of the time, respectively). Harrell concluded that not wearing a wedding ring, especially if paired with young age and high physical attractiveness, may be an indicator of a lack of a commitment to one's family, including care of the children. In an interview I found on the internet, Harrell speculated that ".. an interest in establishing social, sexual or emotional ties outside of marriage may have the inadvertent consequence of diminishing attentiveness to children" and that ".. it's not surprising that this distraction occurs even in a mundane setting like a supermarket, which is more than a place to purchase bananas and cereal. It can also be a place for social encounters and maybe even a romantic rendezvous."
I can offer this additional piece of evidence in support of Harrell’s interpretation of his results: the character played by actress Elizabeth Shue in my children’s favorite movie Adventures in Babysitting was young, attractive, and didn’t wear a wedding ring: and she let the children she was babysitting wander more than 10 feet away from her many times in the movie, although none of her adventures took place in supermarkets, and therefore may have not been directly related to the potential for extramarital affairs.
So, this is it. This is the current state of research on the wedding ring and human behavior from an evolutionary perspective (if I missed some other study on this topic, I urge the readers of this post to let me know immediately). As for the future directions of this research, I just hope they will be as far away as possible from the previous ones.
Uller T, Johannson LC (2003). Human mate choice and the wedding ring effect: are married men more attractive? Human Nature 14, 267-276.
Absence of wedding ring connected to parental neglect
If you enjoyed this blog post and the previous ones, read my book Games Primates Play!

This article is from Psychology Today
The author writes about
The evolution and economics of human relationships.
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net.

Cuddling is Key to a Committed and Loving Relationship, Research on Touch


Cuddling is Key to a Committed and Loving Relationship, Research on Touch  

This is what I have been saying for years in my workshops on body language!


Science: Cuddling is key to a committed and loving relationship
Hand-holding works pretty good, too
Sex, hugs, cuddling, hand-holding, and even innocent little kisses before you dash out the door to work every morning — all of them pay dividends toward a long and loving relationship. And now we have the science to back it up.
According to a new study, the culprit is our old friend oxytocin, a.k.a. the "love hormone." Its levels shoot up whenever we make physical contact with someone important to us.
It's widely understood that its reward system plays a crucial role in deepening the bond between two lovers. Past studies have suggested that it may help keep men from cheating, while others point to its dark side, which can make an abrupt breakup feel physiologically devastating.
Humans and many mammals are monogamous creatures (at least most of the time). What makes us go out of our way to lock ourselves into a committed relationship is still largely a mystery, suggesting there's some sort of biological advantage. "Monogamy is actually quite costly for humans, so there must be some form of benefit," said Rene Hurlemann, a psychiatrist at the University of Bonn in Germany who led the most recent study. "We'd expect humans, especially males, would disseminate their genes."
So what's inspiring warm-blooded males to stay loyal?
Researchers, publishing their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discovered that regular jolts of oxytocin make our partners more attractive, to us and only us.
Hurlemann and his colleagues took 20 men who were in long-term and passionate romantic relationships with women, hooked them up to functional magnetic resonance imaging scanners, and showed them photos of their loved ones interspersed with images of an unfamiliar but equally comely stranger, or a house. Some men were spritzed with oxytocin, others with a placebo. To test whether oxytocin varied only with familiarity, they substituted highly familiar faces for the house images. Afterward, the men filled out the Passionate Love Scale questionnaire, which showed that their inner Romeo prevailed over their inner Lothario. They were fixated on their current romantic partner. [Los Angeles Times]
Makes sense. A "steady diet" of oxytocin helps trigger the release of dopamine, which means we're almost literally addicted to the person we're in love with. Cuddling is a drug, so to speak.
Such findings give us a better understanding of how some couples manage to make it for the long haul, and explains why physical support is tied so intrinsically with our emotional health. Take our friends John and Ann Betar, who eloped on Nov. 25, 1932, and, in addition to being completely adorable and amazing, are still madly in love with one another. What's their secret after 81 years of marriage?
"We always hold hands," said John.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.



























SHORT STATEMENT NECKLACES INSTEAD OF LONG ONES.  A chunky collarbone necklace lights up your complexion and brings sparkle back to your eyes- especially in mixes of pearls, beads and stones that reflect light. A bib that starts at the collarbone and goes to mid-chest can even disguise sun-damage and crepe-y skin. If you have a big or saggy chest, a short chunky necklace (+ a good bra ) can refocus  attention up and away. Longer necklaces that dangle over the cliff of your boobs  are no help- even your mother’s pearls or a “find” you brought back from Thailand. Keep amulets and charms no longer than mid-chest and loop those long necklaces lariat style like you do with long scarves ( check that Diana Vreeland photo for a how-to).

No, de-aging jewelry is not a pierced belly button ring or a nose stud. That looks like you’re trying too hard. It’s certainly not a watch since everyone n0w checks the time on their phone.  Your everyday jewelry at 50 is probably a mash-up of real and fake selected by habit, emotional memories or a random just-throw-it-on attitude.   Time for a rethink. I know you’re picky about everything from wrinkle cream to heels that won’t kill your feet so why not apply that gutsy attitude to your jewelry.  Nothing personalizes or de-ages a wardrobe faster than jewelry. Three big swaps to make now:

No, de-aging jewelry is not a pierced belly button ring or a nose stud. That looks like you’re trying too hard. It’s certainly not a watch since everyone n0w checks the time on their phone.  Your everyday jewelry at 50 is probably a mash-up of real and fake selected by habit, emotional memories or a random just-throw-it-on attitude.   Time for a rethink. I know you’re picky about everything from wrinkle cream to heels that won’t kill your feet so why not apply that gutsy attitude to your jewelry.  Nothing personalizes or de-ages a wardrobe faster than jewelry. Three big swaps to make now:
http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/vreeland1_t500x5351-280x300.jpeg

SHORT STATEMENT NECKLACES INSTEAD OF LONG  ONES.  A chunky collarbone necklace lights up your complexion and brings sparkle back to your eyes- especially in mixes of pearls, beads and stones that reflect light. A bib that starts at the collarbone and goes to mid-chest can even disguise sun-damage and http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/images1.jpgcrepe-y skin. If you have a big or saggy chest, a short chunky necklace (+ a good bra ) can refocus  attention up and away. Longer necklaces that dangle over the cliff of your boobs  are no help- even your mother’s pearls or a “find” you brought back from Thailand. Keep amulets and charms no longer than mid-chest and loop those long necklaces lariat style like you do with long scarves ( check that Diana Vreeland photo for a how-to).
STUDS AND LIGHT HOOPS INSTEAD OF HEAVY DROPS AND CHANDELIERS. If you’ve been a fan of big earrings by now your piercings are stretched and http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/120813jodie-foster1_210x3052-205x300.jpgelongated- a dangerous and aging look especially when combined with droopy lobes ( these noses, lobes keep growing forever ! ). Get your piercings sewn up by a cosmetic surgeon and re-pierce when all is healed. Even Oprah got her ears pierced ( first time) at 50 so it’s not a big deal. Studs are light and are a hot trend again- everyone from Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs are doing them but you can find low-cost ones for under $20 everywhere. Sparkly slim hoops are another option that looks youthful especially if your hair is long, you smooth it behind your ears or  wear a ponytail.
STACKED BRACELETS AND RINGS INSTEAD OF SINGLES. Stacks of matching, similar or totally mis-matched rings and bracelets add personality and a contemporary look to your hands and wrists. http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/329339_in_l-200x300.jpgThey make trendy polish look cooler than ever and power up tees,  fitted sweaters and 3/4 sleeve jackets. Wear stacked bracelets on both wrists for major impact. Don’t hesitate to mix your “good” bangles with rubber “cause” bracelets, chains with jewel-studded cuffs- the combo brings out your individuality and charisma even if you’re wearing a basic black tee and cropped pants. When it comes to rings, anything goes. Add skinny bands plain or fancy to your engagement, wedding and eternity bands for an update. Slip major cocktail rings on any finger you like ( see Oprah’s photo above for glam inspiration).  I love baublebar.com for inexpensive finds and sophisticated rings from Kenneth Jay Lane and Oscar de la Renta . Check out these: Kenneth Jay Lane enameled 18 -karat gold and cubic zirconia ring ( $120, net-a-porter.com) and Oscar de la Renta two cabochon ring, Amazoni-rose ( $ 195, saksfifthavenue.com).
Use it or lose it goes for jewelry too !
For more de-aging tips and wardrobe revitalizing tricks check my new fashion book The Wardrobe Wakeup, Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson ( $ 13.88, amazon.com).
Photo credits :
Oprah Winfrey : fashionista.com
Diana Vreeland: dianavreeland.com
Vera Wang : stylebistro.com
Jodie Foster : tvguide.com
Kenneth Jay Lane ring : saksfifthavenue.com







http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/vreeland1_t500x5351-280x300.jpeg

SHORT STATEMENT NECKLACES INSTEAD OF LONG  ONES.  A chunky collarbone necklace lights up your complexion and brings sparkle back to your eyes- especially in mixes of pearls, beads and stones that reflect light. A bib that starts at the collarbone and goes to mid-chest can even disguise sun-damage and http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/images1.jpgcrepe-y skin. If you have a big or saggy chest, a short chunky necklace (+ a good bra ) can refocus  attention up and away. Longer necklaces that dangle over the cliff of your boobs  are no help- even your mother’s pearls or a “find” you brought back from Thailand. Keep amulets and charms no longer than mid-chest and loop those long necklaces lariat style like you do with long scarves ( check that Diana Vreeland photo for a how-to).
STUDS AND LIGHT HOOPS INSTEAD OF HEAVY DROPS AND CHANDELIERS. If you’ve been a fan of big earrings by now your piercings are stretched and http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/120813jodie-foster1_210x3052-205x300.jpgelongated- a dangerous and aging look especially when combined with droopy lobes ( these noses, lobes keep growing forever ! ). Get your piercings sewn up by a cosmetic surgeon and re-pierce when all is healed. Even Oprah got her ears pierced ( first time) at 50 so it’s not a big deal. Studs are light and are a hot trend again- everyone from Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs are doing them but you can find low-cost ones for under $20 everywhere. Sparkly slim hoops are another option that looks youthful especially if your hair is long, you smooth it behind your ears or  wear a ponytail.
STACKED BRACELETS AND RINGS INSTEAD OF SINGLES. Stacks of matching, similar or totally mis-matched rings and bracelets add personality and a contemporary look to your hands and wrists. http://blog.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/329339_in_l-200x300.jpgThey make trendy polish look cooler than ever and power up tees,  fitted sweaters and 3/4 sleeve jackets. Wear stacked bracelets on both wrists for major impact. Don’t hesitate to mix your “good” bangles with rubber “cause” bracelets, chains with jewel-studded cuffs- the combo brings out your individuality and charisma even if you’re wearing a basic black tee and cropped pants. When it comes to rings, anything goes. Add skinny bands plain or fancy to your engagement, wedding and eternity bands for an update. Slip major cocktail rings on any finger you like ( see Oprah’s photo above for glam inspiration).  I love baublebar.com for inexpensive finds and sophisticated rings from Kenneth Jay Lane and Oscar de la Renta . Check out these: Kenneth Jay Lane enameled 18 -karat gold and cubic zirconia ring ( $120, net-a-porter.com) and Oscar de la Renta two cabochon ring, Amazoni-rose ( $ 195, saksfifthavenue.com).
Use it or lose it goes for jewelry too !
For more de-aging tips and wardrobe revitalizing tricks check my new fashion book The Wardrobe Wakeup, Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson ( $ 13.88, amazon.com).
Photo credits :
Oprah Winfrey : fashionista.com
Diana Vreeland: dianavreeland.com
Vera Wang : stylebistro.com
Jodie Foster : tvguide.com
Kenneth Jay Lane ring : saksfifthavenue.com







No, de-aging jewelry is not a pierced belly button ring or a nose stud. That looks like you’re trying too hard. It’s certainly not a watch since everyone n0w checks the time on their phone.  Your everyday jewelry at 50 is probably a mash-up of real and fake selected by habit, emotional memories or a random just-throw-it-on attitude.   Time for a rethink. I know you’re picky about everything from wrinkle cream to heels that won’t kill your feet so why not apply that gutsy attitude to your jewelry.  Nothing personalizes or de-ages a wardrobe faster than jewelry. Three big swaps to make now:


STUDS AND LIGHT HOOPS INSTEAD OF HEAVY DROPS AND CHANDELIERS. If you’ve been a fan of big earrings by now your piercings are stretched and elongated- a dangerous and aging look especially when combined with droopy lobes ( these noses, lobes keep growing forever ! ). Get your piercings sewn up by a cosmetic surgeon and re-pierce when all is healed. Even Oprah got her ears pierced ( first time) at 50 so it’s not a big deal. Studs are light and are a hot trend again- everyone from Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs are doing them but you can find low-cost ones for under $20 everywhere. Sparkly slim hoops are another option that looks youthful especially if your hair is long, you smooth it behind your ears or  wear a ponytail.
STACKED BRACELETS AND RINGS INSTEAD OF SINGLES. Stacks of matching, similar or totally mis-matched rings and bracelets add personality and a contemporary look to your hands and wrists. They make trendy polish look cooler than ever and power up tees,  fitted sweaters and 3/4 sleeve jackets. Wear stacked bracelets on both wrists for major impact. Don’t hesitate to mix your “good” bangles with rubber “cause” bracelets, chains with jewel-studded cuffs- the combo brings out your individuality and charisma even if you’re wearing a basic black tee and cropped pants. When it comes to rings, anything goes. Add skinny bands plain or fancy to your engagement, wedding and eternity bands for an update. Slip major cocktail rings on any finger you like ( see Oprah’s photo above for glam inspiration).  I love baublebar.com for inexpensive finds and sophisticated rings from Kenneth Jay Lane and Oscar de la Renta . Check out these: Kenneth Jay Lane enameled 18 -karat gold and cubic zirconia ring ( $120, net-a-porter.com) and Oscar de la Renta two cabochon ring, Amazoni-rose ( $ 195, saksfifthavenue.com).
Use it or lose it goes for jewelry too !
For more de-aging tips and wardrobe revitalizing tricks check my new fashion book The Wardrobe Wakeup, Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson ( $ 13.88, amazon.com).
Photo credits :
Oprah Winfrey : fashionista.com
Diana Vreeland: dianavreeland.com
Vera Wang : stylebistro.com
Jodie Foster : tvguide.com
Kenneth Jay Lane ring : saksfifthavenue.com






Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Parents Using More Nonverbal Cues, Gestures and other Body language Can Improve Their Child's Vocabulary


Parents Using More Nonverbal Cues, Gestures and other Body language Can Improve Their Child's Vocabulary

Meaningful gestures and glances may help children learn more words, independent of how much parents talk to them

The more you gesture and use nonverbal signals to communicate with your child the bigger their vocabulary. I love to watch my niece and her husband play and communicate with their daughter AVA, They make funny faces and use gestures like a greatest mimes ever, but they do it while they speak to baby AVA.  They raise their arms in the air and bring them down as they sing the theme song to Sponge Bob Square Pants, acting out each line of the lyrics. According the to latest research that should improve their child ability to understand language and to increase her vocabulary.  Here is the research study I read recently in one of my favorite monthly magazines Scientific American Mind.
Oct 17, 2013 |By Janelle Weaver
Children with a large vocabulary experience more success at school and in the workplace. How much parents talk to their children plays a major role, but new research shows that it is not just the quantity but also the quality of parental input that matters. Helpful gestures and meaningful glances may allow kids to grasp concepts more easily than they otherwise would.

In a study published in June in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Erica Cartmill of the University of Chicago and her collaborators videotaped parents in their homes as they read books and played games with their 14- or 18-month-old children. The researchers created hundreds of 40-second muted video clips of these interactions. Another set of study participants watched the videos and used clues from the scenes to guess which nouns the parents were saying at various points in the sequences. The researchers used the accuracy of these guesses to rate how well a parent used nonverbal cues, such as gesturing toward and looking at objects, to clarify a word's meaning.

Cartmill and her team found that the quality of parents' nonverbal signaling predicted the size of their children's vocabulary three years later. Surprisingly, socioeconomic status did not play a role in the quality of the parents' nonverbal signaling. This result suggests that the well-known differences in children's vocabulary size across income levels are likely the result of how much parents talk to their children, which is known to differ by income, rather than how much nonverbal help they offer during those interactions.

This article was originally published with the title "Nonverbal Cues Could Boost Kids' Vocabulary."



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

4 Jewelry Tips to Make You Look Younger

No, de-aging jewelry is not a pierced belly button ring or a nose stud. That looks like you’re trying too hard. It’s certainly not a watch since everyone now checks the time on their phone. Your everyday jewelry at 50 is probably a mash-up of real and fake selected by habit, emotional memories or a random just-throw-it-on attitude.   Time for a rethink. I know you’re picky about everything from wrinkle cream to heels that won’t kill your feet so why not apply that gutsy attitude to your jewelry.  Nothing personalizes or de-ages a wardrobe faster than jewelry. Three big swaps to make now:


SHORT STATEMENT NECKLACES INSTEAD OF LONG  ONES.  A chunky collarbone necklace lights up your complexion and brings sparkle back to your eyes- especially in mixes of pearls, beads and stones that reflect light. A bib that starts at the collarbone and goes to mid-chest can even disguise sun-damage and crepe-y skin. If you have a big or saggy chest, a short chunky necklace (+ a good bra ) can refocus  attention up and away. Longer necklaces that dangle over the cliff of your boobs  are no help- even your mother’s pearls or a “find” you brought back from Thailand. Keep amulets and charms no longer than mid-chest and loop those long necklaces lariat style like you do with long scarves ( check that Diana Vreeland photo for a how-to).
STUDS AND LIGHT HOOPS INSTEAD OF HEAVY DROPS AND CHANDELIERS. If you’ve been a fan of big earrings by now your piercings are stretched and elongated- a dangerous and aging look especially when combined with droopy lobes ( Did you know that your earlobes and noses keep growing forever? As you get older they just get bigger! ). Get your piercings sewn up by a cosmetic surgeon and re-pierce when all is healed. Even Oprah got her ears pierced ( first time) at 50 so it’s not a big deal. Studs are light and are a hot trend again- everyone from Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs are doing them but you can find low-cost ones for under $20 everywhere. Sparkly slim hoops are another option that looks youthful especially if your hair is long, you smooth it behind your ears or wear a ponytail.
 
STACKED BRACELETS AND RINGS INSTEAD OF SINGLES. Stacks of matching, similar or totally mis-matched rings and bracelets add personality and a contemporary look to your hands and wrists. They make trendy polish look cooler than ever and power up tees,  fitted sweaters and 3/4 sleeve jackets. Wear stacked bracelets on both wrists for major impact. Don’t hesitate to mix your “good” bangles with rubber “cause” bracelets, chains with jewel-studded cuffs- the combo brings out your individuality and charisma even if you’re wearing a basic black tee and cropped pants. When it comes to rings, anything goes. Add skinny bands plain or fancy to your engagement, wedding and eternity bands for an update. Slip major cocktail rings on any finger you like ( see Oprah’s photo above for glam inspiration).  I love baublebar.com for inexpensive finds and sophisticated rings from Kenneth Jay Lane and Oscar de la Renta . Check out these: Kenneth Jay Lane enameled 18 -karat gold and cubic zirconia ring ( $120, net-a-porter.com) and Oscar de la Renta two cabochon ring, Amazoni-rose ( $ 195, saksfifthavenue.com).
Use it or lose it goes for jewelry too !
For more de-aging tips and wardrobe revitalizing tricks check my new fashion book The Wardrobe Wakeup, Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson ( $ 13.88, amazon.com).
Photo credits :
Oprah Winfrey : fashionista.com
Diana Vreeland: dianavreeland.com
Vera Wang : stylebistro.com
Jodie Foster : tvguide.com
Kenneth Jay Lane ring : saksfifthavenue.com


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Business First Impression Consulting Services

Please let us know, if you or your employees would like to receive one-on-one coaching from Patti. Patti also offers customized training in body language, first impressions, customer service, sales, and or presentation skills. She also offers a comprehensive consulting evaluation of your businesses’ first impression including your employee’s nonverbal behavior.

Business First Impression Consulting Services
·         Do you want to know what kind of first impression your business gives to your customers/clients?
·         Would it be helpful to have a fresh pair of eyes and the keen observations skills of a body language and first impression consultant look at your business?
·         When someone calls in or walks into your business how do they feel and what do they think?
·         Would it be helpful to know what you’re doing well and what and how to improve your customer service and first impression interactions?
·         Patti works with large and small businesses, hospitals, hotels and restaurants to improve their businesses.
·         There are several types 0f consulting available.
·         Observation and one-on-one coaching on you and your communication skills.
·         Observation and data collection of your business or businesses.
·         One-on-one feedback on your business.
·         Recommendations for training and changes.
·         Design for employee training.
·         Deliver of employee training.

You may be familiar with secret shoppers or had someone shadow your sales staff or listen in on your front desk or customer service representatives. Patti does all this and more and offers an in-depth evaluation of all your businesses first contacts. She follows up with one-on-one coaching, a log of all the data she taken about your business and evaluation and recommendation sheet and can also offer customized training based on her observations and data collection.

If you would like to learn more specifics about Business First Impression Consulting information, please feel free to call Patti or visit her website at www.pattiwood.net.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

How to use Charisma to persuade and hold attention. A Walt Disney Body Language Trick

Walt Disney was “the great convincer” in the words of his marketing director, Card Walker. He liked to exercise his famous eye-lock technique in which he caught his victim’s face and held it tight. If he or she turned away, Disney would say, “What’s the matter, aren’t you interested.” Pamela (Author of Mary Poppins) was his match. She called him “Mr. Disney” and did not turn away during their long talk in Burbank that April working on Mary Poppins.  This is a quote from a book I just finished reading “Mary Poppins, She Wrote –the life of P.L. Travers” by Valerie Lawson. Interesting as I say in my workshops on body language laser focus eye contact is a body language technique used by highly charismatic people. 

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

What is the worst thing that ever happened in your life that led to one of the best things that happened in your life?

My answer to a great conversation starting question.
A media source asked me what was the best personal and business thing I learned from the worst thing I experienced in my life. Here is the answer.

Worst thing. When I was 28 I was teaching body language at Florida State, had a business as a professional speaker and working full time on my Doctorate when my best friend, my twin soul, Roy Moyer told me he was dying from AIDS. We were both devastated.
Roy who had so much to give was dying very slowly and painfully and I wanted to move from my home in Tallahassee Florida to Atlanta to be with him.
I sold almost everything I owned down to the bare walls and moved to a little fourth floor walkup and spent a little less than a year with him before he died.

It was horrible and humbling but I learned so much about love and friendship. One of the best things I learned is to try to say and show my friends and family that I care for them.

I also learned things that served me well in my business specifically about first impressions that led to me writing a book. That learning included time I spent in hospitals with Roy.  I write and speak on body language, first impressions and patient care.   I also went from owning a business to working as a temp secretary that year and learned a lot about how offices work, specifically the front desk and how unsupportive women can be to other women at lower levels which has led to my speaking on first impressions as well as women and leadership.
The best business thing that happened is that I moved to Atlanta and my business took off.

Roy was an amazing person and we had always been there for each other but when you have so little time you learn that each conversation is gift.
The best thing I learned or more correctly must continue to learn is that I need to be present with those you love.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.