Monday, July 21, 2008

How To Be Mysterious


There are always those people in life who continually keep us guessing. We could never understand them fully even if we wanted to - they're the dramatic foils in the passion play that is our life, slow-dancing in the background and speaking only when spoken to. These little fragments of noir royalty, with their sultry eyes and crooked smiles, these are the people who are the real lead characters. They're the ones who we would die to know completely, from cover to cover like a paperback novella, but we know that could never be possible with someone as curiously strange as they are. Just when we think we've got them completely figured out, they turn around with a different mask on and fool us yet again.

We all have little pieces of these people inside of us, whether we can shatter conversation with a simple smile or change who we are whenever we change our hair, these swingin' flappers and private detectives of lore are thriving somewhere in us. And it's never impossible to let them out.

When being charming doesn't quite do it for you, the great thing about life is that you can always turn to being mysterious.

Figure Out Who You Are

It's incredibly important to know who you are as a person before taking up the task of becoming more mysterious. Write down some of your traits and habits and highlight the aspects of your personality that you would feel comfortable revealing to others. Only your closest friends should know every trait on that list!

Always Keep Eye Contact

Although some may find it slightly intimidating, keeping solid eye contact is a sign of confidence. It gives you an air of mystery since most people, usually unconsciously, will break eye contact to fiddle with little things are glance around the room. Eye contact even while you're not speaking makes you appear attentive yet enchanting - top it off with a hazy smile to seal the deal.

Play Hard to Get
Act like everything deserves a little deliberation. Even if you're asked to do something that you'd love to jump up and down and scream yes at, hold yourself back, think about it for a few seconds, then answer with a yes and a smile. If the topic is important to you then don't beat around the bush - never be afraid to say yes or no - just eliminate the firmness in your voice. Keep everything sweet and simple leaving others confused as to your true intentions.

Sharpen up your Wit
Always stay on your toes and never be afraid to flash your dazzling wit. If you don't feel comfortable answering a question, throw out a sneaky smile and ask your company a question of your own or divert their attention to some other menial fact. The monologue?

Them: So, what's your name anyway?
You: Well, I do suppose it depends on who you ask. You know how people are these days, going by so many titles. There are names and nicknames and professional titles and pen names. My own grandfather has four different names! And I don't mean semantics like "grandpa" or "grandad" - real, legalized names!

Carry Curious Items
Wearing monogramed jewelry or other items of clothing that clearly have symbolic influence will definitely keep others guessing. Never go outright and tell people what these little trinkets mean - the dialogue below will do!

Them: What does the "M.P." on your necklace stand for?
You: If I told you right away then we'd have nothing to talk about!

Never be Afraid to be Unpredictable
Being mysterious in no way means being boring. Mysterious folk always seem to be doing something new and different which is half the reason why most people can never quite pin down their interests. If someone asks you to dance, don't say you're not a very good dancer, just dance! Play up your hidden talents spontaneously, like bringing a ukulele to work and serenading strangers in the hall.

Never Ever Act Self-Absorbed!
Mystery is not about being snooty - it's simply a way of presenting yourself. Remember people's birthdays, even those you hardly know. Bring them tiny gifts that show you remember and leave them wondering how you knew their birthday in the first place. Selflessness is never out of place.

Speak Profoundly
Even during fluid conversation, never prattle on saying things just to pass the time. Cut down on the filler in your dialogue - eliminate saying "like" and "um" altogether. If it takes you a few extra seconds to get your thoughts together, so be it. Never let yourself be pressured into mindless conversation. When you do speak, be sure to say only what you mean.

Always,
Penelope ♥

2 comments:

My Stifled Laughter said...

Quite a fascinating study on how to be mysterious... this ought to be fun to test out. :)

Keep blogging! You're really very fun to read.

Kayla Ice said...

Why my goodness what a lovely post! I must say i was fascinated when i stumbled upon you. I have commented on here before but now i have my own blog here on blogger so i thought i would drop by again and say bonjour ;)

I like the part about never being afraid to be unpredictable. Very true!