The ability to decode your date’s moods is a vital skill if you plan on ever having a good date, sustaining a relationship or eventually getting married. Actually, being able to decode a person’s mood can be a huge boost for any overall relationship. It doesn’t matter if it’s a friend’s, co-worker’s or date’s mood. So knowing how to relate to a particular person at a particular time is always a good thing.

You need to know a little about a person before you can successfully decode their moods. Sure, some situations are obvious, such as a person who is frowning and banging around is probably in a bad mood. However, if they’re just being quiet, are they sad, tired or mad?

Main Moods
There are four main emotion categories that determine moods. Our main emotions comprise of joy, fear, sadness and anger. There is almost always one of the four emotions tied into a person’s mood. Joy is usually easy to spot. Joy brings smiles, laughter and a bounce in your step. Fear, sadness and anger bring frowns, quick tempers, tensed muscles, hunched shoulders and a lack of eye contact.

Body Language
A large part of basic communication is non-verbal. Our body language speaks as loudly as our words. By observing someone across the room, you can learn about his mood and habits before you even speak a word. So the easiest way to figure out a person’s mood is to observe his body language.

Good Mood Body Language
If your date uses lots of open gestures with relaxed hands and shoulders, they’re probably in a good mood. Open palms usually mean honesty and comfort. Wide, open gestures invite people towards a person, indicating a welcoming mood. Strong eye contact also indicates honesty and warmth, all signs of a good mood.

Bad Mood Body Language
A bad mood is usually easy to detect from body language. Closed palms or constant clenched hands indicate anger or anxiety. A lack of eye contact can mean sadness, anger or fear. Closed gestures, or a lack of body movement can also indicate sadness, anger and/or fear. Slumped shoulders often mean sadness, tense shoulders often indicate anger and raised shoulders is often a communication of fear.

Attracted Mood Body Language
Body language is also a great way to decide if a date is into you or not. If a date’s shoulders and chest always seem to face towards you, no matter where he’s looking, they like you. If a date keeps steady eye contact, he’s trying to attract you. If your date repeatedly tilts his head, it’s also a signal of attraction. They lack of any of these types of signals usually signifies a disinterest.