Rihanna and Drake’s body language prove they have mutual feelings for each other, expert says: ‘He is just absolutely smitten’

Rihanna and Drake’s body language prove they have mutual feelings for each other, expert says: ‘He is just absolutely smitten’

  

Sure Drake could have kissed Rihanna better, but there's no denying they've found love.

The rapper's awkward smooch with the "Kiss It Better" singer at Sunday night’s VMAs left some fans confused about their relationship status after he declared his love for her. But their mutual feelings for each other are in plain view — according to a body language expert.

"He is just absolutely smitten. He's like a little boy," said Patti Wood, an Atlanta-based specialist who has authored multiple books on the subject.

Wood said Drake's infatuation with the 28-year-old star was evident not only in the way he swayed back and forth during the speech — a clear sign of light nervousness — but also in how he delivered it.

"It was so adorable. He had really practiced that speech," Wood said. "It wasn't just words to him. He had a vocal emphasis on certain words, he knew when to pause, so what he was saying was meaningful to him."

"There was vocal variation that showed he's putting his emotions and his meaning it," she continued, adding that Drake also kept his eyes on RiRi throughout to prove he meant business. "He really felt what he was saying."

The most shocking moment of Drake's four minute speech came near the end, when he professed, "She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old."

And Rihanna subconsciously reciprocated those feelings, Wood notes.

"Her shoulders rise, and she laughs, and there's a big smile on her face as he says it," she said. "That's a very nice welcoming of it, kind of the joy of it."

Rihanna served up several particularly telling signs that indicated she was swooning after Drake's speech, as she looked back at him multiple times and raised up her chest after he handed her the award and faded into the background.

"That's happiness," Wood said of Rihanna's body movements. "That up motion of her chest and the look back is happiness. That affirms … (her prior behavior) was nervousness and anxiousness. She accepted what he said."

Drake and Rihanna have been linked together for months, but neither had commented on the swirling speculation before the rapper's apparent admission of love on Sunday.

Hours after the award show, he shared an Instagram selfie of him kissing Rihanna on the head, once again celebrating the pop star for taking home the Video Vanguard honors.

So forget about the awkward kiss, maybe Rihanna just didn't want to ruin her makeup. Or perhaps she hates a P.D.A.

 Link to Article

YouTube - Rihanna's acceptance speech

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.

     

What I have learned when loved ones were seriously ill and or dying. Advice

What I have learned when loved ones where seriously ill and or dying. Advice

My best friend my twin soul friend died when he was 29. Nine other friends died the same year.

No one wants to gain experience in dealing with a sick and or terminally ill loved one. But, if you go

through that very painful and intimate experience you do learn ways of coping. Here is what I learned about myself when Shane was shot, Roy and other friends of mine where dying and Dominic had a stroke.

1.       When you are dealing with your grief that a loved one is dying you have to remember every single day when all you want to do is weep and stay under the covers, that you are losing one person but, the person who is dying is losing everyone they know, their home, everything object, every beautiful bit of their natural world and their own life. Their grief is huge.

2.       When people are sick you have to remember every day that they're in pain. So many of their verbal and nonverbal messages are to say to you and the world, “I hurt!” “I am in pain.” You need to communicate that you see, hear and feel their pain.” They are often unable to see feel and hear your pain, because their message is so overwhelming. I know I have tried out for the role more than once, but Martyrs are characters in books and movies, and kind of hard to be in real life.  If you feel unheard, and it’s effecting your ability to be a helpmate, communicate! A possible message.  So how about, “I know you are in great pain, I am in pain too and I know you care so please let me share my pain with you as well so we stay close.” Or “I find that I am stuffing my pain, to not burden you with it, but it is making me feel inauthentic with you when I want to us to stay our real loving selves so can I share a little bit of my pain with you?”

3.       Because they are in pain, they may be mad at God, the world and you. They may be mean, they may get mad, they may even be abusive. Don't take it personally. Don't think it reflects what they truly feel about you. Don't think it's a reflection of their lack of love. They are raging against their illness and you just happened to be the closest person to them so you get the rage.  

Roy would say to me, “Patti, you are the only one I can really get mad at, because I know that you love me. I know that you know my soul and no matter what I do you will keep on loving me anyway.” But, don't be afraid to call them on their stuff.  Just because they're sick and dying doesn't mean that they can be cruel.

4.       Embrace laughter embrace humor, embrace silliness. Embrace funny moments, embrace the joys of life and the absurdity of death and dying. When my best friend Roy was dying we laughed so very much. When he was hooked up to an IV that was his sole means of sustenance the last eight months of his life we had so many jokes about it. We used humor “tenderize” the pain. We had jokes about the Wendy's drive-through, Big Mac's, ice cream and steaks and fries coming in through the IV. Both of us where dealing with a very real reality that he would never taste and savor real food again before he died, but he could still laugh. Our laughter confirmed the fact that even as he was dying he was still living.

Illness and dying create a unique intimacy between you and your loved one, take the gifts of that intimacy and may you be supported and know that you are loved.

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.
     

Sofia Richie and Justin Bieber's Body Language as New Couple.

Sofia Richie and Justin Bieber's Body Language as New Couple.

Did this read of Justin and Sofia on my way into Boston to speak. 

Here's the link:

http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/08/15/sofia-richie-justin-bieber-body-language-photos-relationship/

Patti Wood,- 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.
     

Sofia Richie and Justin Bieber's Body Language as New Couple.

Sofia Richie and Justin Bieber's Body Language as New Couple.

Did this read of Justin and Sofia on my way into Boston to speak. 

Here's the link:

http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/08/15/sofia-richie-justin-bieber-body-language-photos-relationship/

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.
     

Hillary's Body Language, as She Talked About Her Emails During Press Conference Reveals Why Some People Love Her and Some Hate Her.

Hillary's Body Language as she was asked about her Emails during her recent press conference reveals specific body language that can make you love her or hate her. .

She was asked fairly hostile questions, questions that could get many people riled up, especially if they had been asked the same questions hundreds of times. But she didn't get mad. In fact,  I found it interesting that she faced the interview as she got the questions and she remained still not frozen just calm, she didn’t move back in fear or displeasure or move forward in hostility. She showed self-control. Now can work for her and against her. One media person I was interviewed by today said that calmness showed she was a liar.  Others could see her self possession as a clear indication of her innocence. In fact, her precise factual answers and ease be seen voters who angry at the status quo and wants action may as hiding deceit. Yes, some may read that very self-possessed and professional body language negatively. I didn't by the way, but I mention this because having watched Trump in debates, interviews, he cannot stay still through a whole question. He has to move. Some can see his movement and his inability not to interrupt as an indication of his power and indignation. Hilary can not get away with the same body language. Here is what is also true. When Trump is mad and rants his body language and words are in sync. When he is mad, he is truthful. I believe that is one of the reasons he says so many negative things, He know he sounds and looks honest and believable and persuasive when he rants. He is really mad!  In analyzing and giving deception and interrogation training for over 30 years I can say, that she showed self possession, she changed the wording a bit to suit her statements, but what she did say, was the truth. 

Hillary email press conference this week 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmf3RumpAM

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.
     

Trump's Body Language During Endorsement of Paul Ryan, Was Trump Telling the Truth about Ryan?

Trump, as you may have guessed, does not like Paul Ryan. And there was a big tell that showed his  hatred of Ryan when he did talk about him!

First you will notice in the clip that he was, for the most part, reading from a script during his so called endorsement of Paul Ryan.  Instead of praising Ryan, Trump chose to spend the majority of his on air time, reading the script about topics that had nothing to do about Ryan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTPpH5-p5us

When Trump was off script he made his usual negative statements. Interesting that endorsements are typically very positive and rather "Rah Rah for the Party" scripts but, when he was off script he was negative. For example, he said of our functioning international trade agreements. “Trade is a disaster. “  A particularly telling sentence that was part of a rambling rant struck me as typical of his negative statements in speeches and interviews, but horrible when you think it is coming from the mouth of someone running for president. “We don’t win at any level at anything.” Just sit with that sentence for bit. Hear that coming from the president, imagine, a past president you admire saying of America, “We don’t win at any level at anything.” Again, he said this off script and delivered it in a casual, off hand manner non verbally.   I am trying to be objective about this and view this a Media coach and Nonverbal communication expert analyzing someone speaking to endorse a candidate in a prepared speech. 

It's also revealing that Trump  could not sustain a positive flow of his speech for more than four sentences even when reading from the script. If he read a few positive sentences he would go off script and say something negative. (If you read my posts on anger you will see how negativity works for him.)  For example, when he looked down at his script he said, “We will work together as friends...” but seconds later got off script and said negative things about voter ID.

He choose not to give specifics praise about Ryan, he kept repeating that same two phrases, "He is good man." "Paul Ryan, he is a good man and a good guy." Before this, his baseline for off script statements was to look up and often to look at the camera,  But as he said those statements,  he looked down, paused and did a lizard tongue thrust, stuck out is tongue is dislike and attack of Ryan and then he said, “and we may disagree.” This showed he does not believe Ryan is a good guy and with the lizard tongue thrust, he attack and extreme dislike of Ryan. 

Trump's Body Language During Endorsement of Paul Ryan 

Trump endorses Ryan 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTPpH5-p5us

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.
     

Contempt and Sneer Body Language, Keisha Knight Pulliam's Body Language- What is she Really Saying part two (contempt)

We see another example of body-mind disagreement when Keisha is asked about the paternity of her child and she says "that is not an issue". She flashes this asymmetrical smile that registers as contempt.

Contempt is a very complex emotion. It registers on one side of the face with an asymmetrical smile that show inconsistency between how we feel and what we say. Contempt can mean many different things. It can mean "I'm getting one over on you" or "I have just lied to you and I'm getting away with it". It can also mean someone has taken the moral high ground or they think that they are better/smarter/cooler than someone. John Gottman has done a lot of research to show that the number one sign of a failing relationship is contempt. Relative to Keisha's situation,she could be showing contempt towards her husband because of the situation but when you combine this with the rest of her body language cues, it registers as cause for concern.


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.
     

Nodding Yes and Saying No, How Can You Tell When Someone is Lying, Keisha Knight Pulliam's Body Language- What is she Really Saying

How Can You Tell if Someone is Lying,

A body language tell of deceit is shown when someone is saying,"No" of denying an action or behavior with their words, but nodding yes with the head subconsciously in an indication of their true feelings. This happens because the limbic brain responds and the neocortex that thinking of and saying the lie can't catch it. My intern Sydney shows you this 
My name is Sydney Darden. I am an intern to Ms. Patti Wood this fall. 
I am receiving training in body language and deception detection. 

After 6 months of marriage Keisha Knight Pulliam's husband filed for divorce without warning her. The announcement came just 2 days after announcing she was pregnant with their daughter. Keisha's husband asked for a paternity test for the baby in the divorce. Recently, Keisha sat down to do an interview with entertainment tonight and denied the allegations. However, there where reveling body segments of the interview where her body language revealed her true emotions. 

In the first part of the interview she is asked very clearly if she cheated in her husband and it was not 
surprising to the  audience, she offers a definite “I have never cheated in my husband." Notice however  as she says this you can see her nodding her head ‘yes." even though she says with her words no. 

We saw the same thing happen in President Clinton's infamous interview where he said "I did not have sexual relations with that woman Ms. Lewinsky".

and again with Lance Armstrong:

We often convey our true feelings non-verbally regardless of what we do to hide it.


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.
     

Keisha Knight pulliam's Body Language- What is she Really Saying

Hello. My name is Sydney Darden. I am an intern to Ms. Patti Wood this fall and I am currently training in body language communication and lie deception.

After 6 months of marriage Keisha Knight Pulliam's husband filed for divorce without warning her. The announcement came just 2 days after announcing she was pregnant with their daughter. Keisha's husband asked for a paternity test for the baby in the divorce. Recently, Keisha sat down to do an interview with entertainment tonight and denied the allegations but there are some interesting points in the interview where her body language contradicts what she is saying.

In the first part of the interview she is asked very clearly if she cheated in her husband and no surprise to the audience, she offers a definite “I have never cheated in my husband”. However, as she says this you can see her nodding her head ‘yes’ as she denies any infidelity.

We saw the same thing happen in President Clinton's infamous interview where he said "I did not have sexual relations with that woman Ms. Lewinsky".

and again with Lance Armstrong:

Research shows that we will always convey our true feelings regardless of what we do to hide it.When what we feel does not align with what we are saying, our body finds ways to let those true emotions out and it is completely involuntary.


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.
     

Comfort Cues

What does it mean when a man adjusts the cuffs of his sleeve? I see this comfort cue behavior of adjusting a sleeve or touching a cuff given by men coming to to the front of the room to give a speech, getting ready to approach a women to flirt with her and other situations when they are preparing to do a difficult task.

A helpful way to read body language is through the comfort/discomfort lens.  When you are comfortable you tend to be open, and relaxed and you don’t fidget or touch your hands to your face or body. The self-touch in stressful situations is called a comfort cue.

When you are uncomfortable you may seek comfortable with self-touch. The touch stimulates the nerve endings in the skin and produces chemicals that sooth you. So when you read someone’s body language and they switch from comfortable open and relaxed to uncomfortable, closed tense and giving comfort cues that is interesting. You can ask yourself: what were we talking about when that happened?  What was I saying that suddenly uncomfortable for this person? What changed in the moment that they became uncomfortable?

·   Mouth Guard—Covering our mouths is quite symbolic. We cover our mouths when we do not want someone to know we’re upset, lying or if we’re suppressing a negative thought. We put our hands over our mouths so the truth won’t come out. Always look for additional submissive gestures given with the mouth guard that may signal nervousness, shyness or a lack of self-esteem.

·   Nose, Eye and Ear Rubbing—These signify discomfort, disbelief or disagreement: “Boy, that doesn’t smell right to me, that doesn’t look right to me, that doesn’t sound right to me.”

·   Fingers or Objects in the Mouth—This cue links back to childhood, when we sucked a bottle, pacifier, thumb etc. Self-touch gestures, like hands or objects in the mouth, communicate a desire to find sustenance and comfort.

·   Rubbing Motions—These motions are more complicated. Rubbing may be a means of self-assurance. For example, we may gently rub a gold chain around our neck just before an interview, symbolically making it shine.

·   Holding Motions—When we were little and we were anxious or scared, our moms or dads held on to us, and the holding motion assured us that everything would be okay. When we went to bed as children, we may have held onto a teddy bear or a blankie to reassure us that everything was all right. As adults, when we are anxious or afraid we repeat these motions to reassure ourselves that everything is going to be all right. We may hold our hands together, grip our arms in a self-hug, or hold a pen or marker as we speak.

·   Preening Motions—We use these motions to prepare ourselves for an interaction. You might touch your hair, rub out the wrinkles on your pants, adjust belt or watch, tuck in your shirt, and women may touch their collars and or jewelry. These self-touch motions offer comfort to us and may subconsciously remind us of when our mothers used to do these things for us before an important event, such as the first day of school.  

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.
     

Why you think you're right — even if you're wrong

I yearn for the "...vast and endless sea." I yearn for the truth.

Why you think you're right — even if you're wrong

Perspective is everything, especially when it comes to examining your beliefs. Are you a soldier, prone to defending your viewpoint at all costs — or a scout, spurred by curiosity? Julia Galef examines the motivations behind these two mindsets and how they shape the way we interpret information, interweaved with a compelling history lesson from 19th-century France. When your steadfast opinions are tested, Galef asks: "What do you most yearn for? Do you yearn to defend your own beliefs or do you yearn to see the world as clearly as you possibly can?"

http://www.ted.com/talks/julia_galef_why_you_think_you_re_right_even_if_you_re_wrong?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tedspread

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.
     

Creativity and Messiness

I am a creative genius!



https://mic.com/articles/103954/the-science-of-why-the-most-creative-people-have-the-messiest-desks#.AvF1puLoL



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.
     

Room Set Up. Why You Should Not Have a Big Center Aisle

I was part of an awesome event recently. Before I do a presentation, we send graphics of my ideal room set up with our contract but this client just knew! He had a great room
Set up!  "Why is the aisle in the middle of the room so wide?” Yikes! How did I miss that? It is one of my own pet peeves, The Moses Effect. The same way that Moses parted the Red Sea, I allowed the room setup to have a huge center aisle.
So here is why you try not to have a wide center isle or make it very small! 


https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-wrong-picture-darren-lacroix



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.
     

Shift Away From Formal Lectures in the Classroom.

This is a long but interesting article. I have created and used an experienced based learning model for all my programs for my entire career. It just makes sense to have an interactive learning experience. This is not a new concept. All teachers, assistant professors and professors should have ongoing training, presentation skills, interactive learning,and accelerated learning techniques.They need more than just a single day of training before school starts. I think our attention spans are shorter so being a dynamic facilitator is even more critical. 

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/eliminating-the-lecture/491135/?utm_source=atlfb


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.
     

I knew my, "silence baths", (a day that  I don't watch tv, listen to any music or podcasts and don't talk on the phone and try not to talk at all.) were rejuvenating. Now it seems silence may help our memory.

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/07/scientists-are-discovering-the-neural-benefits-of-silence.html



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.