18 Psychological Life Hacks

1. When a group of people laughs, people instinctively look toward the group members they feel closest to (or want to feel closest to).

2. Take a peek at people's feet when they're talking to you: If their feet are pointed away from you, the person you're talking to wants the conversation to end.

3. When you're on a first date, take your date somewhere exciting: They'll associate you with that thrilling feeling.

4. Try to notice someone's eye color when you meet them. People will like you more for the slightly increased eye-contact.

5. If you work in customer service, put a mirror behind you. Customers will be nicer because nobody wants to see themselves being a jerk.

6. Most people can't tell the difference between brilliance and confidence. If you seem like you know what you're doing, people tend to rally around you.

7. While on a busy sidewalk, look at where you're going instead of at the people in your way. If they see your eye-line, they'll likely clear out of your path, and you'll feel like Moses at the Red Sea.

8. If you're in a group meeting and expect someone to take you to task, sit right next to them. They'll lose the pack mentality that makes them feel safe to attack you. At the very least, they'll mitigate their meanness.

9. Foot-In-The-Door: People are more likely to agree to do something for you if you get them to do something simpler for you first.

10. Door-In-The-Face: People are also more likely to agree to a smaller favor if they deny a larger one or two first.

11. If you make yourself be really happy and excited to see other people, the next time they see you, they'll probably be a lot happier and more excited about it. (Dogs do this trick to us all the time.)

12. Before interviews, imagine yourself as old friends with your interviewers. You're in charge of the way you perceive your situation, and your comfort will be infectious.

13. Don't say or write, "I think" or "I believe:" It's implied anyway, and it sounds unconfident.

14. Emotional expressions are one way to cause emotions. If you want to feel happy, smile as wide as you can.

15. If you ask someone a question and they only give you a partial answer, maintain eye-contact and stay silent. The answerer will usually assume the original answer wasn't good enough, and they'll keep talking.

16. If somebody is angry at you and you stay calm, they'll probably get angrier, but they'll be ashamed at themselves later.

17. Chew gum or eat food if you're doing something that would normally make you feel nervous. It tricks a primal part of your brain into thinking you couldn't be in danger because you're eating.

18. Many physical effects of stress are the same as those of exhilaration (e.g. heavy breathing, speeding heart, etc.). If you reframe your threatening situation as a challenging one, your stress will become exhilaration.