How To Tell If Someone Is REALLY Interested In You

I have struggled with this one myself, the signs can be subtle or almost nonexistent, depending on the personality of the person you are interested in.  When you find yourself interested in someone, you give them a higher degree of attention you don't normally give others.  You start looking to see if that attention is appreciated and reciprocated.  Sometimes the signals you get are mixed or you can't decipher their behavior.  Next thing you know, you feel confused and unsure of yourself.  You might even feel stupid or like giving up.  We have all been there. So here are some signs that you can look for.

Eye contact- Most people make at least some sort of eye contact, even if it's brief. When people are interested in someone, they tend to make more eye contact then normal.  The more interested they are, the more they might scan a room looking for you, or want to look at your face, and you will find that you two lock eyes occasionally. When people sense you are interested and they don't feel the same, they will usually AVOID eye contact. Eye contact (or lack thereof) is one of the biggest ways people communicate non-verbally, and it's huge when it comes to flirting. I've even heard that the pupils dilate when people are around a person they are attracted to.

Body language- This one is HUGE! Body language speaks volumes.  It can be more telling than the words a person speaks.  I can tell a lot about how a person is feeling just by looking at the way they stand/sit etc.  When you two are talking, are they facing you, or is their body angled away from you?  Are their arms crossed? Are they leaning toward you?  Do they keep looking past you, or act antsy?  If someone is interested and engaged, their body will mimic yours.  Their body language will show they are open and interested. If their arms and legs are crossed, they are leaning away, or they are standing about a football field away, they are not into you.

Facial expressions- When someone is flirting with you, they will show it in their expressions whether they mean to or not.  Smiling and showing their teeth is a good indication that person is happy.  Just like with body language people mirror facial expressions, so if you are smiling and happy, you will have an effect on the person you are with.  Do they mirror your smiles? Are their eye brows relaxed? How people feel shows the most in nonverbal cues, so note their expressions, even if they are brief.  If you hinted at going out together sometime, and their eyebrows pulled together in a scowl, or their mouth turned down, that is a bad sign. Make sure you pay attention to what their face says, even if their words might be saying otherwise.

Effort- You can tell a lot by how much effort someone puts into you.  Even if the person doesn't have the guts to say anything, their actions will tell you anyway.  Guys will tend to be chivalrous, and hurry to open the door for you, walk you to your car, help you carry things that seem heavy, etc.  Women will offer advice, laugh heartily at your jokes, tend to show empathy and kindness, or offer to help with small tasks.  When people can't get someone off their mind, they start finding excuses to spend more time with them, so you may find that you're running into your crush a lot more than normal. People don't normally expend time and energy into something or someone they have no interest in, so watch for cues that they are devoting energy and time your way.

Appearance- Now this is one that can be a little misleading because there is absolutely no proof that any changes in appearance are for your benefit, however, if you notice that ever since you took an interest, they have been paying more attention to their appearance, it can indicate they are interested.  They might have recently had a haircut, bought new clothes, or simply tried to appear a little neater.  If you noticed the woman you're interested in never wore lipstick before, and now she's putting it on every day, that could be a sign.  If a guy runs out and buys new shoes to replace his ratty ones, that could be a sign.  Watch for clues they are paying more attention to their appearance.  Make sure you let them know you noticed, by complimenting or commenting. "That's a great color on you, is that new?"

Conversation- Pay attention to the type of things this person says.  For instance, are they mentioning their relationship status?  If they emphasize or talk about the fact they are single, it's a good indication they are dropping tidbits they hope you will pick up.  Does the conversation drift toward sex or relationship topics? People talk about things that are on their mind. If they steer the conversation towards how much they hate people in general or constantly put a negative spin on things, they might be unconsciously trying to create distance between the two of you.

If your gut is telling you this person is interested, then go with it. Don't sit around for too long analyzing the clues and cues, because eventually they will lose interest and move on.  Gather some courage and ask them out. Something as simple as going out for coffee or a gathering can get the ball rolling toward romance. Also, don't forget to note your own eye contact, body language, effort, appearance and conversation topics. You want to make sure you give off the right signals as well.

Good luck and keep trying. Sometimes persistence and patience pays off.