It is my obligation to alert you that when you hug someone, he or she subliminally senses your sincerity. Basically there are two categories of hugs. There is the sincere kind that long-lost friends give each other when reunited, — and loving spouses share when celebrating their anniversary. Young lovers discovering their newfound ecstasy express their affection with this genuine embrace.

Then, unfortunately, there is the counterfeit category. It’s the kind of insincere clasp that cutthroat competing employees assault each other with at the company holiday party. We’re practically all guilty of giving this fake hug to so called “friends” when meeting or parting. fix

So how can you tell if an embrace is affectionate or artificial? Here’s where the rubber really hits the road in hugging sincerity: UNCOMFORTABLE HUGGERS PAT EACH OTHER’S BACKS!

When you throw your arms around someone and seconds later your hands transmogrify into flippers on your hugee’s back, it signals, “OK, times up. Let’s end this hugging bit. I’m not enjoying it.” Hand flapping discloses discomfort with the closeness.

Hug or don’t hug. But don’t hug and pat at the same time. It mitigates the authenticity of your embrace and makes you look like a hypocrite to people sensitive enough to read your body language.

« Go Back To Communication Tips