The Baseline
You can’t read the change until you know the normal.
What it is
Before you can notice that someone is acting differently, you need to know how they normally act. That’s their baseline: how fast they talk, how much they fidget, how much eye contact they make, how they text, what their “fine” sounds like. Most body-language advice ignores this, which makes it useless. Crossed arms mean nothing if someone always crosses their arms. A quiet person being quiet tells you nothing. A chatty person going quiet tells you a lot.
Why it works
People differ hugely. Some fidget constantly. Some never look you in the eye because that’s how they were raised. Some text in full sentences, some in single letters. A sign only means something when it breaks their pattern. Compare people with themselves, never with a chart.
Spot it
Someone seems to know you well very quickly: what makes you nervous, when you’re down, what calms you. Sometimes that’s care. Sometimes it’s someone studying you to find leverage. A salesperson who notices you hesitate on the price and immediately offers “finance options” has read your baseline.
Counter it
Be aware of what you show. In negotiations, keep your reactions steady: same face for a good number as a bad one. With people you don’t trust yet, give less away. And with people you do trust, the best counter is honesty. “Yeah, I’m stressed. Thanks for noticing.”