This post consists of a list of bodily expressions, a short part about lack of expressions (and what it can mean) and a bit about how human body can store our emotions and what typical placements for specific emotions are there. Enjoy!
Click HERE to read the facial expressions list.
ARMS & HANDS
crossing arms
biting nails
clasping hands
tapping the fingers
cracking the knuckles
hands tightened into fists
shrugging
hunched shoulders
finger steepling
cramming hands in pockets
TORSO + BACK
chest out
puffed out
poking someone's chest
drooping posture
straightening up
slouching
LEGS
shaking
tapping their foot
shuffling feet
one leg crossed over the other
shifting weight from one foot to another
unsteady legs
rocking on heels
Lack of bodily and facial expressions doesn't have to mean lack of emotions. It can be because of the neurological differences or the person can be dissociating or in freeze response.
Often this lack of expression is something the individual decides on - to protect themselves, to appear stronger, to not let others know what they're experiencing. You can think of that while writing; the character who sits still with a blank expression can be dissociated, or they can pay attention to not move in order to not be picked on by the mean teacher.
STORING EMOTIONS IN BODY
The fact that mind and body are interconnected is a widely-recognized fact. Because of that connection, bodily experiences can affect the mind (for example developing a fear of bicycles after falling from one and breaking a leg), and mind can affect the body (for example by thinking back to an argument with someone we start breathing faster).
That fact should be remembered about while writing. Of course, a lot of people are disconnected from their bodies, and may not even know why certain things are happening to them (like being unsure why their hands are trembling while taking a hard exam).
If there are emotions we are exposed to a lot, but may not be processing enough or we numb them out, they tend to store in our body. Mentioning it in your stories adds extra layers to the characters' experiencing and to the reading experience.
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