we’ve all read that prompt where someone is smirking, cocking an eyebrow and tossing their hair every other word. it’s annoying and it’s overused, not because they’re moving too much, but because nobody actually does that. rather than making your character repeat the same three actions on loop, spice things up! here are some helpful starting points

anger: 

• curling and uncurling fists
• sharp exhales
• rolling eyes
• cracking neck 
• setting jaw
• grinding teeth 
• pursing lips

boredom/impatience: 

• scratching neck/back
• tapping or drumming fingers on something
• tapping foot
• changing position repeatedly, as if to get comfortable
• leaning back 
• kicking feet or putting them up
• looking around 

nerves: 

• looking around but, like, different
• hands in pockets
• fidgeting with an object
• biting lip, inside of cheek, or nails 
• tapping or drumming fingers on something

if this is helpful, i can expand the list, but i don’t see people struggling with physical displays of positive emotions as much as i do negative ones.