Mirroring Quotes

“Each time a person passes by you and you say 'hello', imagine that person turning into a candle. The more positivity, love and light you reflect, the more light is mirrored your way. Sharing beautiful hellos is the quickest way to earn spiritual brownie points. You should start seeing hellos as small declarations of faith. Every time you say hello to a stranger, your heart acknowledges over and over again that we are all family.”
― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

“You call me disrespectful
When it’s not possible in my being
To disrespect
A pebble in the street.
A bug on the wall.
A leaf on a tree.
Or any of God’s creatures.
Even those that are pests or perhaps unsafe.
How can you say that I am so...
With the man I love?
All you need to do is to
Turn back the words you say to me
And say them to yourself
To know the truth.
You're just looking in the mirror
And seeing yourself when you look at me.
It’s called projection...
One letter away from protection.
And this understanding
Is the only thing
That brings me comfort.”
― Kate McGahan

“We see only that which we are. I like to think of it in terms of energy. Imagine having a hundred different electrical outlets on your chest. Each outlet represents a different quality. The qualities we acknowledge and embrace have cover plates over them. They are safe: no electricity runs through them. But the qualities that are not okay with us, which we have not yet owned, do have a charge. So when others come along who act out one of these qualities they plug right into us. For example, if we deny or are uncomfortable with our anger, we will attract angry people into our lives. We will suppress our own angry feelings and judge people whom we see as angry. Since we lie to ourselves about our own internal feelings, the only way we can find them is to see them in others. Other people mirror back our hidden emotions and feelings, which allows us to recognize and reclaim them.”
― Debbie Ford, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers: Reclaiming Your Power, Creativity, Brilliance, and Dreams

“The fireworks went on for nearly half an hour, great pulsing strobes, fiery dandelions and starbursts of light brightening both sky and water. It was hard to tell which was reality and which was reflection, as if there were two displays, above and below, going on simultaneously—one in space-time, mused Max, and the other in time-space.”
― Sol Luckman, Snooze: A Story of Awakening

“Children are constantly focused on their parents and will mirror them. Therefore, what they experience in the home will be crucial for their empathy development.
Parents have a big responsibility because they are the primary example of empathy and must practice being empathic themselves.”
― Iben Dissing Sandahl, The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids

“MARSILIO
Data cannot grasp the depth of such images, which do not pass away or cease bleeding into things.”
― Nicola Masciandaro

“One simple glance can convey to your recipient that you are . . .
• Present
• Interested
• Paying attention
• Being respectful
• Listening
• Confident
• Engaged
• Caring
• Dedicated
• Appreciative
• Empathetic
• Focused
• Supportive
• Trustworthy
• Acknowledging
• Excited
This list barely scratches the surface; however, it opens the conversation about how vital your eye contact is for making positive first impressions.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“Eye Contact Can Reveal if a Person is . . .

• Shy or gregarious
• Honest or deceitful
• Confident or terrified
• Interested or bored
• Patient or irritated
• Sincere or inauthentic
• Organized or Unprepared
• Attentive or distracted”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“There are times when eye contact can move to the dark side and become creepy, hostile, rude, or condescending. When it is overused or made for the wrong reasons, eye contact can make others feel uncomfortable and leave a terrible impression . . .

• obsessive staring
• mocking
• too much intensity
• inappropriate focus
• averting eyes
• obvious contempt
• gawking, ogling
• casting the "evil eye"
• over-watching
• intimidating
• unwelcome looks
• rolling the eyes”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“The master rode alone that day; and in the woods, side by side, White Fang ran with Collie, as his mother, Kiche, and old One Eye had run long years before in the silent Northland forest.”
― Jack London, White Fang

“Come from the distant lands of insanity and despair to recognize the arrival of royalty that appears in the newly cleared mirrors of your eyes. Those who dare banish fear, come near and peer on the rare divinity of their own unique weird, are often revered by many strangers from afar.‬”
― Curtis Tyrone Jones

“Meaningful eye contact has the power to transcend time and space to connect us with others and can be one of the most gracious and important ways to demonstrate attention and respect.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“When you make eye contact with another person, you can send thousands of silent messages without even speaking a word. No wonder eye contact can be both a direct form of communication and an elusive attribute at the same time.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“Whether it is in a sales situation, love at first sight, a husband and wife having an important conversation, a parent disciplining a child, or a teacher instructing her students, eye contact is a powerful body language for enriching engagement, focus, and communication.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“Being culturally aware and respectful of others’ cultures will help you to keep the habit of making eye contact in context. As a matter of fact, in some parts of the world making eye contact can be construed as being exactly the opposite of what I am sharing in these pages. Making a great first impression is always about the specific environment and circumstance, isn’t it?”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“We've all been in the middle of a conversation and the person with whom we are speaking breaks eye contact, appears distracted, glazes over, or looks elsewhere. Their simple eye movement can quickly break down communications by making us feel ignored, dismissed, or rejected. For some, it may be accidental and unintentional, while for others, avoiding eye contact is on purpose.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“12 Reasons Why People Avoid Eye Contact

1. They do not want to reveal their feelings.
2. They are not being honest and truthful.
3. It makes them feel vulnerable and exposed.
4. They are being rude or indifferent.
5. They are ashamed or embarrassed to talk about something.
6. They are nervous or lacking confidence.
7. It makes them feel very uncomfortable.
8. They are arrogant, snobby, and pretentious.
9. They are afraid of saying the wrong thing or looking stupid.
10. They are shy or introverted.
11. They are accessing internal thoughts or emotions to process and contemplate information.
12. Or as mentioned before, and important to remember, it may simply be a cultural value or behavior.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“As with most things in life, a healthy balance will keep us on the right path. To avoid too much eye contact or too little, seek to create a comfortable mix. It is generally encouraged to use more eye contact when you are listening and less when you are speaking.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“When speakers make eye contact with an audience, they will be perceived as being more prepared, more competent, confident, and trustworthy. Eye contact helps to relax the speaker and reminds them that their audience is made up of separate individuals who perceive things differently. Audience response is clearly seen in the expressions of their eyes.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“7 Ways to Improve Eye Contact at any Time

1. Relax into the moment by smiling.
2. Practice making eye contact with people you trust, so that when you are with strangers, it is easier to form a connection.
3. When you feel uncomfortable, begin by looking at their mouth or forehead.
4. Lean in and show that you are interested and attentive.
5. Put a little space between you and the other person.
6. Remember that the other person may be feeling just as awkward.
7. Don’t give them a blank stare throughout a conversation. Rather, practice gazing down or to the side every few moments so that you appear relaxed.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“Infinity peeks into humanity and sees itself immediately, but we pick ourselves apart ceaselessly and never see the hidden immensity.”
― Curtis Tyrone Jones, Mirrors Of The Sun: Finding Reflections Of Light In The Shittiness Of Life

“It's nonsensical the way you tickle my ventricles and use many magical mirrors to show me I'm identical to everything that's invincible.”
― Curtis Tyrone Jones

“I used to be afraid of ghosts untill the time I faced myself.”
― Amit Abraham

“If you approach your romantic connections with confusion, you will receive confused treatment from them as well. It is all a mirroring act. Be intentional and clear about them and about what exactly you expect.”
― Robin S. Baker

“As we explore this valuable non-verbal language, please note that these principles do not apply in many cultures around the world. In some cultures, direct eye contact may offend, affront, violate, or threaten.”
― Susan C. Young, The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact

“Everyone is beautiful in their own special way. It just needs the right person to hold the mirror for them.”
― Nitya Prakash

“Words are powerful. The passion you speak them with is also powerful. Choose wisely. Words that injure have a funny way of coming back to you.”
― Rosangel Perez

“Learn to look after your needs and desires and let go of whatever is not serving you. Take time out for yourself and love the person in the mirror.”
― Dee Waldeck

“He smiles a little, reflexively. He never actually feels like smiling, but he has survived by the skillful mimicry of expressions for too long to stop doing it now.”
― N.K. Jemisin, Shades in Shadow

“Mirroring or advising a thoughtless person can risk personal attacks in response.”
― Ehsan Sehgal