It’s like I have to consciously exert my jaw muscles to look like I am really smiling, even though I think I am already smiling and that it \*should\* be obvious to people that I am smiling. It also extends to level of talkativeness/enthusiasm — my mom, who is a lot more extroverted by nature, has commented to me things like “Why were you so quiet/distant back there?” but in my mind I felt like I was already being warm/engaging. It’s like I have to present myself as an actual extrovert in order to appear remotely approachable. I guess my default facial expression is either really neutral or sort of bored looking..
Do you think this is just a matter of stepping further out of your comfort zone? But in my case I would feel so fake… but I guess that’s the nature of socializing to an extent. Does anyone have any tips or can relate to this? Thank you for reading!
3 comments
totally true for me. As a guitarist in a band I get asked to be more emotive and when I think I am rocking out in video i am barely moving. For me it depends on how comfortable am I in a situation.
Yes absolutely!
-Whenever I think I’ve given over a very funny joke, people tell me, I was so deadpan they couldn’t even tell I was joking
-I have had a friend working in the mental health industry that I was talking about my struggles in relationships and she told my based off of how I express things with facial expressions she thinks I am ~flat affect~
I get this too, but it depends on the situation. In social settings it happens sometimes, usually when I can’t fake it around people I don’t like.
I get it more in a work setting though, mostly because when I’m working I’m trying to focus and I keep to myself to try to get things done, so I don’t make a ton of small talk.