Metaphors tied to our senses shape real-world perceptions via "embodied cognition."

Language influences social proximity; we stand closer to those we agree with.

Light affects honesty: darker settings can make one feel less honest.

What you are saying affects your life in ways you might not have realized.

Everyday metaphors are linked to how we experience the world around us, according to seminal work by researchers George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. In English, we "move forward" with our lives and don't "retreat into" the past. We speak about people who are "cold as ice" and "heavy" matters we need to resolve.

Using sophisticated studies, researchers are finding that some of these metaphorical expressions are more than just, well, expressions—they are based in our sensory experiences. This mind-body link is called "embodied cognition." The connection between places/objects and experiences, which the study of embodied cognition uncovers, can help us understand and enhance our relationships with the physical world.

Some useful findings to date:

When we're thinking about the future, we lean forward ever so slightly, and when we're considering the past, we move slightly backward.

We speak of being "close" to people whose opinions we share.........

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