Face Reading Insights
PART One
In this short series I will show you how to read and use the features staring right at you when you are communicating with a person face to face.
This information can complement your ability to read the body language on show.
It is possible to quickly assemble baseline characteristics of a person from their face alone.
And this can be done literally in a matter of seconds.
Whether you are aware of it or not, there is a constant stream of pertinent data coming your way through your senses when you are sitting opposite a person.
It makes perfect sense to take what is being unconsciously observed and extract conscious information from it that will help you to communicate far more effectively.
This will give you a head start when you wish to gain an insight into what actually makes a person tick.
Truly understanding a person paves the way to developing trust and also establishing rapport at a deeper level yet.
Always be mindful that a key to greater self-confidence is to know yourself first at a deeper level yet.
Knowing yourself better can really help you to observe others much more accurately.
Now you cannot feel the feelings another person is feeling, but you can respond intelligently with understanding, clarity and know-how.
I will progressively look at a number of basic assumptions you can quickly make and put to use.
The face says:
This is who I am!
Given this information cannot be hidden, it is enormously valuable.
Let’s begin by looking at the overall structure of the head and face.
This can be divided into three major parts: the Mental, the Emotional and the Physical.
When you observe a person take note of the following two features:
What percentage of mental, emotional and physical portions of the face are present.
Also notice the most prominent feature of the face.
I will refer to this information as we go along.
Begin to observe people in a different, unique way so we can really understand them.
PART Two
The intention is to gather game-changing information that is, well, staring you in the face.
As said, you can quickly assemble specific characteristics of a person from their face alone.
And be able to accomplish this comfortably in just a few seconds.
The task is to convert unconscious signals into conscious knowledge to help you to “get” a person at a deeper level which will mean you will be able to communicate with them in a perceptive and enhanced way, in a unique way in fact.
Effective communication – your communication skills, will be hugely advanced by a combination of body language expertise and face reading insights.
This will transform your ability to understand and influence other people.
Let’s begin by looking at three of the most common facial structures.
Circle Shape
Generally, this person has a happy, easy going, gentle, nurturing disposition.
They are often warm, affectionate and friendly people.
And they tend to be generous.
However, they can be demanding and manipulative.
They get bored easily, are prone to laziness, and have a fickle nature.
They can also be emotionally sensitive and need plenty of encouragement.
Square Shape
These types usually have high energy, enormous vitality, but can be aggressive.
They are practical and well-grounded.
Doers rather than thinkers, springs to mind.
They are quick off the mark and tend to shoot first and ask questions later.
If wronged, they don’t bear grudges, they soon forgive and forget.
They noticeably enjoy the company of the opposite sex.
They are happy when surrounded by their loved ones, and do not enjoy being alone.
Deep down they can have a sensitive nature, and be melancholic.
Upside Down Triangle
These people are intelligent, quick and open-minded, good organisers, and persuasive with high nervous energy.
Knowledge, status and power are crucial to them.
They are adept and highly skilled with influence and persuasive techniques.
So, they are excellent communicators and debate well.
They actually seem to argue quite a lot.
They possess a sharp wit and a quicker tongue.
In general, they are engaging and highly sociable.
Ambitious to a fault, they can worry and over-think situations.
They enjoy meeting people, but few people get emotionally close to them.
Always remember to observe the three parts of the face: the Mental, Emotional and Physical aspects.
Go ahead and compare the percentage of mental, emotional and physical portions present.
Again, get into the habit of noticing the most prominent feature of the face.
Oh, and remember, the face says: “This is who I am!”
PART Three
You can quickly gather incredibly useful pointers to the basic nature of a person through their face alone.
The aim is simple: to observe and absorb what is right in front of you and collect vital information to allow you to become far more influential.
The information on show can be analysed and put to use in a matter of seconds.
To truly influence someone it is essential to communicate with them in a unique way.
The combination of body language expertise and face reading insights will strengthen your rapport skills and enable you to achieve this.
Here are the next three common facial structures and what can be learnt from them.
Triangle Shape
Generally, these people are stubborn and resolute.
They often have a strong, quite fiery temperament.
They are ambitious and driven.
However, they often lack patience.
They much prefer to be in control.
If what they want isn’t forthcoming they will internalise their feelings.
They are physically strong, have great energy but are often closed minded.
They can be charming and pleasant when they choose to be.
But they will persist until they get what they want.
Rectangle Shape
These people have high ideals and the determination and strength to stand up for them.
They are determined, thoughtful, steadfast, reliable and self-reliant.
They are born to rise to high positions.
These qualities, particularly of thoughtfulness, optimism, and their strong ideals makes them popular and loved.
They have strength of purpose and people respect them.
However, these qualities can affect their ego and pride.
Oval Shape
This face has a roundness and softness in its features.
These people are generally warm, affectionate, outgoing usually with an upbeat personality.
They enjoy the company of others, and tend to think the best of them.
They have inner strength and intuition.
They are nurturing and romantic by nature.
They can be too trusting and people do take advantage of them.
Basically they are sensitive, flexible, idealistic, caring and creative.
That completes these three basic face structures.
In the next we will look at the final three facial structures and what you can learn from them.
Remember, the face says: “This is who I am!”
PART Four
By observing what is right in front of you, staring you in the face, it is possible to quickly pick up specific attributes of a person to help you to understand what essentially makes them tick.
This will enable you to communicate in an intuitive, perceptive and intelligent way.
The result?
You will light up their neural networks.
The combination of body language expertise and face reading insights will strengthen your rapport skills and lead to superior results.
Here are the final three common facial structures and what can be learnt from them.
Note that they a composite of other structures.
Narrow Forehead with Wide Jaw
This shape is recognised by the wide, tight jaw and a high narrow forehead.
They are determined, introverted and intuitive types.
These people can be emotionally suppressed and have a sense of loneliness.
They like to be alone with their thoughts, and lack the warmth to be with others.
They are instinctively careful and cautious.
They are often quite shy.
They do enjoy pondering deep interesting and original problems.
Square Head with Oval Chin
These people are very strong minded, compassionate and flexible.
They have an understanding, emotional and sensitive nature.
They can be very successful in business and with money.
They are seen as a people’s person.
They generally make good counsellors and are adept at negotiating.
They are self-aware, energetic and versatile.
Round Forehead Tapering to a Pointed Chin
These people have high aspirations and are mentally creative.
They are open-minded, but often quite sensitive.
They possess a loving, caring nature, but can get upset when not understood by others.
They can have difficulty dealing with emotional issues – they much prefer reason.
They do not find it easy to articulate their feelings.
Because they are highly aspirational they may need grounding from time to time.
That completes the final common basic face structures.
PART Five
So far I have mentioned that you need to notice the overall shape of the face, whether it is a square, a rectangle, oval, round, a triangle and so on.
This is fundamental in face reading.
For example, the round shaped face suggests an emotional, sensitive and caring person.
The oval shaped indicates a practical and methodical person.
The up side down triangle points to a quick open-minded, ambitious person and perhaps a fiery temperament.
The square shape finds an intelligent, analytical and decisive mind, though they can be aggressive.
This body of knowledge will enable you to communicate in an intuitive, perceptive, and intelligent way and, importantly, light up their neural networks given your deeper understanding of what makes them tick.
I have also said that it is necessary to recognize the three zones of the face – the mental, emotional and physical.
The face is read by dividing it into these three life points, the forehead, the mid-face and the lower face.
Go ahead, observe and divide the face into these three zones and determine the percentage of each zone present.
The three zones reveal the balance of energy across the mental, emotional and physical aspects of the personality.
Now let’s look at them in more detail.
Mental Dominance
A person with strong mental acuity is likely to have more surface area in the upper zone of the face.
The mental zone indicates the amount of energy invested in the mind and mental processes in comparison with the other two zones.
A highly developed intellect is not unusual, though this person can be over-stimulated and lack practical skills.
The larger this percentage gives rise to full use of the imagination and creativity.
Emotional Dominance
A higher percentage here indicates a warm, affectionate, loving and open-hearted person.
Good width in the emotional zone shows they have adaptability and the understanding to care about other people’s needs.
They have emotional sensitivity and warmth.
Physical Dominance
A person with a larger physical zone indicates physical vitality and presence.
They tend to put more energy into practical tasks.
This bigger distance reveals sensuality and strength.
It can also suggest self-control and the desire to be in charge of their own affairs.
As you continue to recognize the features of the face you will understand how these characteristics come together in form and shape to represent the personality through their life’s experiences.
In other words, who and what they are today.
A person’s most prominent or obvious facial feature shows the most dominant aspect of their personality.
This is what they project out to the external world and on to other people.
PART Six
Let’s begin to look at the prominent features of the face.
There is a vast amount of information on show, so the emphasis will be restricted to those features that will allow you to make a rapid assessment almost in a matter of moments.
You will have informative, useful and practical insights into someone’s personality at your fingertips.
To put you into the right frame of mind, let’s start with the forehead.
The upper zone provides information on a person’s mental attitude towards life.
For example, a person with a highly developed intellect is likely to have more surface area in the upper zone of the face.
They can lack practical skills, though they are often imaginative and creative.
When you look at the forehead assess it to determine its height and width.
The height reveals the degree of intelligence and the width how open and understanding a person is.
If the width is narrow, you may be facing a narrow-minded person.
If the width is wide, you are probably with a broad-minded person.
This information should help you as you proceed during a conversation.
In addition to seeing the face front on, make sure you observe it from the side.
The profile offers some significant information.
The key here is the slope of the forehead.
Now some points about the hairline.
Generally, take note of how high and wide it is and whether it is rounded or straight.
If it is straight, high and wide then you are looking at an intelligent, open-minded person.
If it is straight, narrow and wide it is likely to be a practical person.
If it is straight, narrow and short you are probably with a closed-minded person.
They usually have an external frame of reference.
If it is high and rounded then you are looking at a flexible, creative and intuitive person.
If there is a high and narrow forehead you have a single-minded person who only values their own opinion.
An interesting hairline is the “M’ shape.
This person enjoys feeling free and can be highly intelligent though they are often rather sensitive.
Be mindful: The face says: “This is who I am!”
PART Seven
The focus of this part will be on the eyes.
I will look at certain elements, primarily the size, level and the distance apart.
But first some pertinent information about the eyes.
Those people who are familiar with Neuro Linguistic programming – NLP – will be aware that eye pattern detection is an important part of a practitioner’s skillset.
When people think and talk their eyes move in certain directions.
They “go inside” to access a memory or to bring into consciousness a new thought.
Observing a person’s eye movements provides a useful insight into their thought processes.
When a person’s eyes go up to their left or right they are processing visually.
When a person’s eyes stay level as their eyes dart to their left or right they are thinking in sounds.
As you look at a person, up to the left is visual create and up to the right is visual remembered.
Horizontally to your left as you look at them is auditory create, to the right auditory remembered.
When a person’s eyes go down to the left as you look at them they are accessing their feelings.
When a person’s eyes go down to the right as you look at them they are listening to their own internal dialogue.
Okay, now back to certain elements of the eyes.
As said, I will look at certain elements, primarily the size, level and the distance apart.
The right eye conforms to left brain functioning and the right eye to left brain functioning.
So, each eye represents a different aspect of someone’s life.
Check to see if one eye is larger than the other, or if one eye is higher or lower than the other.
If the left eye is dominant, this person puts a premium on their personal life.
They are particularly good with relationships.
If the right eye is dominant, you are looking at someone whose self-worth is derived from the external world.
For example, they may put their career first.
Given we have a pair of eyes, I will look at them where possible in pairs.
First of all, large eyes and small eyes.
By large I do not mean protruding eyes, just relatively bigger than normal.
Large Eyes
These people tend to be emotionally expressive.
In fact, almost everything is dealt with from an emotional perspective.
They have a warm enthusiasm and are often extroverted.
You can literally see what is going on in this person’s life.
The eyes reveal it all.
Small Eyes
These people are cautious and less outgoing.
They much prefer to work alone.
They like emotional control and may lack energy.
Next we’ll look at Closed set eye and Wide set eyes.
Close Set Eyes
These people tend to be focused, conscientious and dependable.
They are comfortable with detail work.
They are problem solvers.
However, they can be narrow-minded and often fail to see the bigger picture.
They are also rather critical.
Wide Set Eyes
They signal a broad minded person who can see the whole picture.
They do tend to get easily distracted and don’t like details.
They are tolerant, but can stay in a negative mindset.
They are also prone to taking on too many tasks.
Now for Deep set eyes and Protruding eyes.
Deep Set Eyes
They are private people, with a tendency to be secretive.
They are cautious, watchful and observant.
They are also deep thinkers and evaluate everything.
They are extremely observant and emotionally reflective.
Protruding Eyes
These people like to be included in everything that’s going on.
They are not concerned with running the show, but want to be included.
They want to be accepted and appreciated.
They are enthusiastic people and thoroughly enjoy participating.
Life is not a spectator sport to them!
Finally, let’s look at the level of the eyes.
Here we look for eyes that are horizontally Level, eyes that Slant upwards, and eyes that slant down.
Eyes Level
Here we have a balanced view of life.
These people are on the level with a balanced perception of life.
Objectivity is the more likely perspective.
They can see both sides of the picture.
Eyes Slanting Upwards
They are generally optimistic, positive people.
They expect things to turn out for the best.
They can easily get disappointed and discouraged when things do not go their way.
The disappointment is often just a passing mood.
They can look down their nose at others.
They are motivated and risk takers.
Eyes Slanting Downwards
They are kind, loyal, generous, sincere people.
They are extremely capable of solving problems and have the ability to anticipate them in advance.
They do tend to be negative and pessimistic, simply because they see the dark side first.
Remember to look at both eyes and see which eye is pointing more downwards.
This will largely reveal whether the issue at hand is professional or personal.
They are sensitive and caring.
PART Eight
Now your eyebrows play a significant role in revealing how you feel.
For example, raised eyebrows can show surprise, fear, submission or a request for approval. Lowered eyebrows reveal emotions such as contempt, disgust, dominance, aggression and anger.
The eyebrows come together when a person is concentrating or a bit puzzled.
Lift both eyebrows quickly as you look at somebody and you’re likely to receive a greeting in return even if you don’t know them.
So, the eyebrows are very active in the way you communicate.
A person’s point of view is expressed through their eyebrows.
Let’s look at a few of the common types and what they are likely to indicate.
Note that there can be a difference between the left and right eyebrows as discussed previously with the eyes.
As a benchmark to compare against, balanced eyebrows are decently spaced apart and gradually arch above each eye.
The thickest growth is at the beginning and thins towards the edge.
Both eyebrows are the same.
Everything is routine and perfectly normal.
Generally, this signifies a well-balanced person.
Low-set eyebrows show a person with a strong mind.
They tend to suppress and control their emotions.
They can also have a restricted point of view.
This person has a fast, agile mind.
They have a prudent and calculating nature.
Can have an insecure mind.
Very high eyebrows reveal an impetuous, impulsive attitude.
However, they can be a little too trusting and too open-minded.
Here we have an observant, selective and discriminating nature.
They often adopt a wait and see approach.
Eyebrows that slope up from the middle tend to reveal a person with a sizeable ego.
They can lack warmth and the understanding of other people.
They keep a tight control over their own feelings.
They seek control and authority.
They enjoy a higher status.
Eyebrows that curve downwards at the outer edges are shy, reserved people.
Generally they are gentle and softly spoken.
They may also be emotionally suppressed.
Tend to keep their feelings to themselves.
May lack confidence.
They appear outwardly gentle.
Boomerang-shaped eyebrows indicate independence and a strong will.
This person likes to get their own way.
Determined, ambitious and strong-willed.
They go for what they want.
Straight eyebrows show a practical, possibly unimaginative person.
They are down to earth and quite difficult to change.
This is a logical thinker.
They will weigh up the possibilities carefully before choosing.
They evaluate rationally.
Thick bushy eyebrows reveal a passionate person.
They are enthusiastic but can be aggressive.
Mentally alert and active.
This is a person of ideas.
They have a strong personality.
Can be intense, dominant and forceful.
Thin eyebrows indicate a lack of energy and direction of purpose.
These people can be demanding.
Overly sensitive.
They have a careful, cautious nature.
Expect them to be indecisive.
Can lack confidence.
Eyebrow hair that grows upwards shows an enthusiastic person.
They are passionate, resolute and have a restless energy.
They seek and enjoy a challenge.
They can get bored easily given their energy.
Eyebrow hair that grows downward shows a lack of energy.
This person may not be motivated.
They may well be stressed and perhaps overworked.
Have a lack of vitality.
Can be emotionally suppressed.
Joined eyebrows show a competitive nature.
They are often high achievers.
This is a non-stop thinker.
Has an intense personality.
They can also be possessive though they are kind-hearted.
The eyebrows and eyes together provide powerful insights into someone’s personality.
Look at the eyebrows this way: The eyebrows separate the emotions – the eyes from the mind – the brow.
PART Nine
The focus of this part will be the nose.
Everything follows the nose.
It literally stands out. It’s the nose that leads the way!
Its size, strength and proportion compared with the rest of the face indicate how a person projects their personality.
Six different shapes are relatively easy to recognise: Turned Up, Hawk, Greek, Roman, Nubian, and Snub.
I’ll take a look at some famous people with these types later.
However, in fact, I believe 14 variations have been identified across ethnic groups.
Here, I will confine it to the familiar shapes.
So, what can be regarded as a well-balanced nose?
The classic Greek nose comes to mind.
It has a straight bridge, a round fleshy tip, and well-shaped flared nostrils that cannot be seen when viewed from the front.
This nose signifies qualities of honesty, truthfulness and loyalty.
And in all probability an optimistic nature.
Let’s look at some of the more common types and their characteristics.
Remember to compare against the rest of the face.
A Long Nose person is generally a logical rational thinker.
They will consider a number of options before making a decision.
They literally look down their nose at other people.
When the tip points down this person has a tendency to be creative and emotionally nurturing.
They can be sceptical and often want to see the evidence before acting.
A Large Nose with a good base is a competitive person.
They are happy to demonstrate their abilities.
This person wants to make a difference.
They are aspirational and make excellent managers.
Many also prefer to be their own boss.
Now a long narrow nose has some of the long nose strengths, but this person can be insecure.
However, they are often humorous and engaging.
A Short Nose is a person who enjoys a good time.
However, they may not be dependable, nor too responsible.
And they can be sensitive, vulnerable and kind-hearted.
They are content doing routine work.
They rarely exercise their personal power.
A Broad Nose signals a determined, stable and capable person.
They are able to apply concentration to a task.
They have the staying power to see a task through to a successful completion.
Regard the broad nosed person as a purpose driven individual.
A Snub Nose or Ski-Jump Nose individual can be quickly recognised given the nostrils are clearly visible.
The nose is concave when viewed in profile.
They are happy-go-lucky types and this is evident in the manner in which they project their personality.
Generally, they are good fun but can be gullible.
They enjoy helping others and will go to a great deal of trouble if necessary. They have difficulty asking for money.
They can have difficulty saving money and making ends meet.
The focus is on service not money.
Now let’s take a brief look at the bridge of the nose.
The Straight Bridge Nose indicates a focus on value and service.
If it’s pointed, they like to get to the bottom of things.
They like to probe beneath the surface for details.
The Roman or Convex nose belongs to a person who knows a good deal when they see one.
They are price conscious.
This is a bargain hunter.
Offer them a discount!
They excel at delegating tasks to others.
They want to be in charge. They are often successful in business.
The Turned Down Nose is a sceptical person.
They will question everything.
Be prepared for cross-examination!
They look for proof.
They will not trust unless the see the evidence.
Give them the facts.
Here are some classic examples of the six types and their corresponding characteristics:
Turned Up Nose – Marilyn Monroe
The turned up nose is regarded as cute.
These people are mostly kind-hearted
They are optimistic and full of character.
They can have an endless enthusiasm for new things and experiences.
Hawk Nose – John Lennon
This person wants to carve their own path and rarely follows the crowd.
They do not seek out the approval of others and are usually fairly rebellious.
They are the least likely to care about what others think of them.
People with this kind of nose are most happy when pursuing their own projects or goals.
Roman Nose – President Abraham Lincoln
This strong, slightly hooked nose is characteristic of leaders.
It signals a strong personality, but not an impulsive one.
People with this type of nose are carefully measured.
They don’t rush into decisions and are very good at influencing others.
Often well-organised, they are good at rallying people to take action.
They are very rarely aggressive.
Nubian Nose – President Barack Obama
This nose is long and wide at the base.
It signals creativity and passion.
These people are always thinking of new ways to approach problems and are instigators of change.
They are open-minded, curious and expressive with their emotions.
As a result they tend to be very charismatic, with people naturally drawn to them.
Sometimes their emotions get the better of them and they flare up, but their natural charm helps them to make amends.
Greek Nose – Admiral Lord Nelson
This nose suggests someone who is inspirational, yet functional, and a skilled organiser.
This is exactly the type of person you want to be around in a crisis.
They don’t panic and start thinking logically about their next move.
They keep their emotions close to their chest and can be hard to fathom.
This is a matter-of-fact and efficient person.
Snub Nose – Muhammad Ali
This nose indicates someone who is quick-witted – both physically and mentally.
They think fast.
They tend to be more streetwise than your average person.
They also react quickly to situations but sometimes can react too quickly, which may lead to aggression.
The tip of the nose also provides useful information.
If the tip is soft and fleshy, it reveals a sensitive person.
They are considerate, warm and gentle.
They like to know what is going on.
If the tip is pointed, here we have a person who likes to make their point quickly.
This person can be rather nosy!
A groove in the tip indicates an indecisive person.
They can be dissatisfied with the work they do.
Take a good look at the nose to see where it may lead you!
Be mindful: The face says: “This is who I am!”
PART Ten
Every feature of the face has a meaning and relates to the personality and behaviour of a person.
For example, the lips can provide information about the sensual nature of an individual.
Which brings me to the focus of this part – the mouth and lips.
In fact, your mouth, unsurprisingly, represents how well you communicate.
The lips speak, feel, express or suppress thoughts, and emotions.
So, the mouth reveals a person’s taste for life.
By using sensory acuity you will notice that the lower lip size can increase in size when you establish rapport with somebody.
The number of lines increases as blood flows to the lip as you make a strong connection.
Now, what can be considered as the ideal, perfect mouth?
It preferably should be moderate in size, full and well-shaped.
Each lip should be of equal thickness, firm, soft and they should fit nicely together.
What does this reveal?
Generally, a warm, honest, caring, sensitive and open-minded individual.
This person is likely to be a strong character with a sense of purpose.
In general, expect a well-meaning and effective communicator.
Here are the more common examples.
A large mouth belongs to a person who is outgoing, probably an extrovert with a generous, optimistic outlook.
They attract attention and popularity.
They like recognition and to be noticed
They tend to be very talkative and are rarely silent.
They enjoy telling stories.
A small mouth person can be a bit introverted, careful and cautious.
There can also be a lack of confidence.
There is a tendency to be suspicious and somewhat anti-social.
They can avoid spending money.
They can also be extremely perceptive.
Here are some more points:
Thick or Full Lips points to a person who likes to please others.
They are often openly affectionate.
They are physically demonstrative and enjoy showing their feelings.
Oh, and they can have expensive tastes.
This person can be noticeably passionate.
Full lips indicate a sensuous, playful personality though they can be a bit too keen.
They will vocalise their dissatisfaction and frustration.
Thin lips belong to somebody who probably lacks warmth.
They can be unsympathetic and may have an inferiority complex.
And they can be very reserved, a bit lonely, and insensitive.
They are not comfortable with public displays of intimacy.
They avoid sharing their innermost feelings.
In fact they can hide their inner emotions and feelings.
A thin lipped person may be very cautious.
Here are some additional points:
Lips in a straight line indicate a careful and calculating individual.
They have a practical, orderly mind.
This person is not known for revealing their feelings.
They can also be relatively sensitive.
Lips with an even, upward curving line at the corners of the mouth indicate a persuasive, outgoing, and creative person.
They have a happy, smiling disposition.
Expect this person to be sensual and creative.
Curved lips indicate a cordial and optimistic person with a sunny disposition.
The downward curvature of the lips points to discontent in most matters.
You may find it hard to please these types irrespective of what you do or say.
Also note the following points: In general, it can be said that the upper lip represents the feminine side of a person’s nature and the lower lip the masculine side.
So, the upper lip signifies how sensual a person is and the lower lip shows how much a person needs to be loved.
If the upper lip is considerably thinner than the lower lip, it reveals an inability to reciprocate in a relationship.
Conversely, considerably thinner lower lip indicates an overly giving nature.
The following summary provides a quick insight into someone’s likely personality based on their lips:
Small lips: selfish, stingy, miserly.
Curving down lips: dissatisfied, discontented
Large lips: pleasure seeker, hedonist
Curving up lips: happy, cheerful
Curved lips: changeable
Straight lips: sensitive and self-controlled
Narrow lips: insensitive, unemotional
Take a good look at the mouth and be prepared for what it may say!
Be mindful: The face says: “This is who I am!”