When it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes it’s hard to decipher whether someone likes you or not. If the person you like is shy, the task becomes even more difficult. A shy person will likely never make the first move and they’ll be careful not to drop too many hints if any at all.
In this case, you may need some clues to decide whether to make the first move yourself or help your shy crush confess their feelings in some way. The good news is that there are plenty of body language cues that a shy person will give off if they’re interested in you.
From excessive fidgeting to averting their gaze, the signs listed below will let you know if your affections are reciprocated or not. Keep reading to learn more about the body language cues that indicate that someone shy likes you!
Body language clues and hints to know if a shy person likes you:
1. They smile at you:
If you don’t usually have problems socializing and define yourself as an extrovert you probably aren’t aware that shy people don’t throw around meaningless gestures as others may do. They don’t find it easy to talk with the first person they meet and they also take more time taking a liking to someone new. That’s why you should not take it lightly or for granted when a shy person’s body language shows affection toward you.
Not every shy person smiles easily at others, so when they smile at you, you can be sure that there may be something more behind it. If you see that this person smiles a lot at you, it means that they want to show how much they find you interesting and that they want you to feel comfortable around them.
Shy people can struggle in social settings, so it’s one of their priorities to make the people they care about feel comfortable.
2. They make eye contact:
If you have some experience in dealing with different people, you have probably figured out that the right amount of eye contact can hugely impact a connection and conversation. You probably know as well that the right amount of eye contact without making things awkward, varies from person to person and situation to situation.
For example, shy people don’t like prolonged eye contact much, so you can only stare for so long at them before they start feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. For this reason, when a shy person is determined to make consistent eye contact with you, they must be interested in you and trying to catch your attention. If you want to show them that you like them back or appreciate the attention they are giving you, try to reciprocate their eye contact.
However, you need to do it gradually, as they will feel embarrassed if they realize you know what they are trying to do. Another, good thing about a shy person making eye contact with you is that it shows that they feel comfortable and relaxed around you, therefore, there’s potential for a good friendship at least, if nothing more.
3. They constantly try to polish their looks:
We all like to look our best when we are out in public. Sometimes we have someone we would like to impress, but most of the time we just want to feel confident in our skin and not leave any room for public embarrassment. This is why you should not quickly assume that just because someone is shy, they’re not going to care about their image or put effort in to look their best.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Shy people are incredibly aware of their surroundings and sometimes go to great lengths to avoid ending up in an uncomfortable situation. So, if you are with a shy person and you notice that they are constantly fixing their clothes, making sure their hair is still how they want it, or doing similar things, it may not mean at all that they are distracted.
It could mean instead that they are hyper-focused on how you see them, and want to look their best. Perhaps, it is really important to them that you reciprocate their interest too and that’s why they worry a lot about putting their hair, clothes and everything else together.
4. They touch their face oftn:
We all touch our faces absentmindedly when we go about our day and no one gives a second thought to it. However, when someone touches their face more than usual specifically when they are around you then it may not be an unconscious act anymore.
Shy people can struggle with keeping a conversation interesting and they are highly aware of that. So, if a shy person likes you, they want to keep talking to you for as long as possible and not make you regret spending time with them. Because of all these thoughts, it’s normal for a shy person to feel nervous during a conversation, especially if it’s with someone they want to impress.
Soon enough, they will show signs of their restlessness by touching their face for example. So, if you see them touching their cheeks from time to time or covering their mouth when they are not speaking, try to slow down the conversation to make them feel more relaxed. Also, you shouldn’t point out to a person that you can see they are nervous as that will only make them feel even more panicky, so subtly redirect the conversation.
5. They lean toward you:
You need to remember that shy people say more with their silent or body language than with actual words.
Because of this, if you notice that a shy person seems to slightly lean in your direction every time one of you talks it’s because they subconsciously want to grab your attention for as long as possible. They are eager for you to stay with them, but they don’t feel comfortable enough in being straightforward about it.
You should also know that shy people avoid physical contact with most people, so if they seem to want to reduce the space between you, you should take it as a very positive sign. It can mean that they feel very comfortable around you and like you as much. In the end, don’t forget to keep your eyes open and catch any love signals they may be throwing your way as these can also indicate that they like you very much!