SMUGNESS DEFINITION:Supreme confidence in and satisfaction with oneself PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS: A jutting chin Crossed arms A thrust-out chest Deliberately raised eyebrows Cocking or tilting the head A smirk or sneer Direct, probing eye contact Squinting and a hard smile A dismissive nod or glance Rolling the eyes Aggressive teasing intended to put another in their place A sigh conveying annoyance (a huff) Waving a hand in dismissal Leaning in aggressively, as if to challenge the other party Rocking back on one’s heels Mean-spirited talk behind another’s back Projecting the voice to reinforce who has the upper hand Sarcasm:Whatever, orSure you are, orIf you say so! A look that radiates superiority Perfect posture, shoulders back, an exposed neck A determined walk, strut, or swagger A loud voice, bragging, full of bluster Using boisterous movements to draw attention to oneself A wide stance Criticism and belittlement Talking over people and controlling conversations Looking down one’s nose at others Dominant behavior (invading another’s personal space, standing while others sit, etc.) Lavishing praise on favored ones (children, friends, people in power, etc.) An arrogant laugh Preening (fussing with clothing, checking oneself in the mirror, etc.) Wearing flashy or dramatic clothing Tossing one’s hair back A shake of the head Adopting a pondering pose (e.g., clasping the chin and tapping the lips with a finger) Settling back in a chair with exaggerated casualness Movements that draw attention (waving a cigar, gesturing with a glass of wine, etc.) A deliberate crossing of the legs or clasping of the hands Fidgeting with jewelry to draw attention to it Clapping someone on the back, overplaying closeness or friendship Name-dropping Rubbing it in with anI told you so. INTERNAL SENSATIONS: Warmth radiating throughout the body A puffed-up feeling Tingling in the chest The heart rate rising due to an adrenaline rush MENTAL RESPONSES: A firm belief in one’s own rightness and superiority Disdain for those who are unworthy Overconfidence A desire to belittle the unworthy and exalt one’s own accomplishments Gratitude at having risen above the rest The belief that those who have not succeeded are to blame for their failure ACUTE OR LONG-TERM RESPONSES FOR THIS EMOTION: Extreme pride in appearance and possessions Careful consideration of friendships, purchases, places where one is seen, etc. Reminding someone of a past mistake to rub it in Choosing to spend time in environments that are a reminder of success Generosity that displays power (e.g., hosting charity functions) Acting as if rules do not apply or one is above the law SIGNS THAT THIS EMOTION IS BEING SUPPRESSED: Making token acknowledgements to those who played a part in an outcome Citing that luck was involved but not meaning it Preachy advice:Do what I did, and you’ll succeed too. MAY ESCALATE TO:Contempt,Scorn MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:Disappointment,Doubt,Insecurity ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS: Bask, belittle, boast, brag condescend, deign, demean, dismiss display, dominate, flaunt, gloat ignore, insist, jeer, loom lord, patronize, preen, revel show off, shun, simper, smirk sneer, splurge, strut, swagger taunt, tease, tower WRITER’S TIP:When describing a character’s feelings, the word “felt” is often a cue for telling emotion, not showing. Run a search for this word and challenge yourself on its use.