 Action speaks louder than words. Always. But many times we don't recognize or understand these actions, especially when they contradict the words of the other person. Communication is what makes the world go round. And communication involves both verbal and non-verbal parts. The only setback face with verbal communication is the barrier of different languages. And once the language is learned, the verbal communication flows. This is not so easy when it comes to non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication makes up to 60% of what is being shared. This means that other forms of communication, including the words, which most people focus on, make only about 40%. This tells us that more information is shared but missed through body language, which is a significant part of non-verbal communication. Body language gives a glimpse into people's minds, even if they are not aware that they are given off indication of what they truly feel. Mastering the act of recognizing, reading and interpreting body language is a valuable skill if you want to be a great communicator. Body language, which includes eye behavior, feet and arm movement, proximity and some facial expressions is the unspoken element of communication and reveals one's true feelings and gives the observer an edge when dealing with people in business and other instances. Wars, divorces, malice, estrangement and quarrels arise due to a break in communication somewhere and somehow. Hence, the power to read people's mind is in high demand and being able to read someone's body language is the closest we have come in getting that power. While the art of reading people's body language is necessary for effective communication, it is a tricky business and so different gestures should not be handled separately. However, when combined with other gestures, expressions and movements, it tells a story and gives a complete picture. One way to avoid jumping into conclusions when reading body languages is to pay attention to other cues like the context. For example, many people know that crossed arms tend to mean detachment from or resistance to the other person but it could also mean that the person is feeling cold. So, considering this cold weather and checking to see if other body languages tally with the crossed arms, one can arrive at the right conclusion instead of getting the wrong information. Despite being tricky, there are still foolproof body languages which tells us what is going on in a person's mind and so here are eight ways to read someone's body language and get a glimpse into their thoughts. Using these you might get yourself a superpower when it comes to communicating with people. Let's go. Proximity. Naturally, just as the plants grow leaning towards the sun, people lean towards you if they agree with you and are in tune with you. If you are chatting with someone and they are leaning towards you, it usually means you have someone who is into what you are saying. On the other hand, if the person bends away from you or moves back whenever you get close, the chances are that the person would rather be anywhere else than be with you. The subconscious makes the person lean in towards you when they like you. So, if they lean towards you, they like you and what you are saying. If not, you can either change your topic into something more exciting or kindly let the person go where they would rather be. Mirrored movements. We move in sync when we feel a closeness with people and this is an essential tip about body language. When with someone and the discussion is going similarly well, try changing your posture or adjust your hands and legs. It has been proven that if the other person is following and is into what you are saying, they would also change postures with you, mimicking you. This mimicking is usually done subconsciously and shows how sincere the other person is into listening to you and enjoying time with you. Hands and legs. Our hands and legs tell a lot of stories about what goes on in our minds but people are ignorant of this fact. The few who are not know just some things about the hands and not the legs. The hands, as mentioned earlier, when crossed shows resistance. It says the person is not agreeing to what you are saying and rejects or blocks it. However, it has been demonstrated that if the person is laid back, he may be relaxed and this takes us to the legs. Taking note of the leg movements is an exciting discovery. If you are standing and talking with someone, studies have proved that the legs point in the direction of where the person wants to be. So if you are in a discussion with other people, the legs point towards whom they would prefer to be talking to. Also, during a negotiation, if the person crosses their legs, chances are, according to research, that the negotiation will not go through as the other party does not accept the terms. Head movements. Many of us know that nodding means yes and shaking the head side to side means no. That, however, is not always the case when it comes to nodding. Excessive nodding may mean anxiety, because the person wants to appear agreeable to you. Bowing of the head also denotes submission and leaning the head sideways may mean that the person is listening to you. Certain studies say that if one supports the head with a hand, it denotes you have a listening fellow. But if the head is supported with both hands, you might have a bored person who can't wait for that meeting to be over. Posture. If someone walks in with an erect posture, with the head pointing to the ceiling and they walk purposefully, it leaves no doubt that they are used to leading and that they are confident. If a person's posture appears expansive and open, they are confident and bold. The reverse is the case when they look like they are trying to get into themselves, slouching and putting their head down. The expansive posture also denotes victory or a sense of achievement as seen in some winners during competitions. Eye story. The eyes have been described as the window to the soul and this might be true. When it comes to laughter, the eyes serve as differentiator between real and fake laughter. The crinkles by the sides of the eye could be present if the hilarity is real. If they are absent, chances are that the laughter is not from within. However, when the crinkles are too much, it could mean that your jokes are not funny and the other person is trying hard to please you by laughing. Also, raised eyebrows show discomfort. If they are smiling, people have said that if people can't meet your eyes, it means they are lying. This might be true, but if they hold your gaze too long, they might be trying hard to make you think they are honest. Generally, eye contact from strangers mean interest. The interest could be positive or negative. Facial expressions. The facial muscles tell a lot of stories too. If one who is sad on the inner corners of their eyebrows do not move up and down, there is a probability they are not as bad as they look. A clenched jaw tells that a person is stressed. Also, an incomplete smile which tilts to one side could denote sarcasm. Other cues. There are other signs the body gives off which are apparent but not immediately interpreted. These other indications include the shoulder shrug which shows that the person does not know what is happening, the open palm which usually means honesty, the other person laughing with you which means a genuine interest in you, repeatedly touching their face which shows nervousness. In an ideal world, words and body languages will match but we live in the real world where there are many inconsistencies even in our communication with each other. Knowing how to read body language helps you learn a lot and demands that you are observant and that is necessary for an excellent communicator. The above listed eight ways to read someone's body language helps show you what others might be trying to say but cannot find the words or are afraid or are trying to be deceitful. Whatever the reason for not speaking the words, the body language tells a better, more accurate story. Body languages are best used with other forms of communication like the verbal and non-verbal forms. This helps give a clearer picture. Aside from helping us to understand others and what lies in their minds, being able to read body language helps us learn how to portray better, what we want to be represented so that we do not give off the wrong signals with our body language.