Facial expressions in a mirror

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For years people kept telling me I look angry all the time when I felt fine. I also didn't really have much in the way of facial expression when I did feel something.

I eventually found myself practicing facial expressions in the mirror so I could consciously try to be more "expressive." I do it relatively often, and also try to use them to be humorous without having to say anything. Now people tell me I have "the most interesting facial expressions" (usually as a compliment, lol).

I'm curious if anyone else here practices facial expressions in the mirror? Has it helped?

Yes, I have practised. No, it doesn't help because I don't know if I'm doing it right or not. I do get the giggles sometimes though

I used to think this was normal. This is why I think Jim Carrey has ASD, because he seems to have a kind of repertoire of expressions, and he claims to have developed this in childhood. Jim also has an odd sense of humor, he's just lucky enough that it's the kind of odd that people are really surprised by, and thus find hilarious.

The thing with using a cache of expressions is that it eventually runs out. Or worse, you get comfortable with people, and they think that your all of the sudden a different person because you relax and get emotively sloppy. But if you know you're doing this, maybe that's a different story, I didn't know I was doing this.

I'm hoping it is a different story, because people need faces. However, its a dangerous game when one knows they won't ever snap into it the way others do, and that certain relationships may always be a little theatrical to you (exhausting).

I noticed that, when I'm not thinking about it, I'll lean on a certain expression. Like, once for a whole year, I just smiled in almost every social situation. This had the benefit of disarming those who'd thought I was less approachable before, but had the drawback of reducing the effectiveness of my smile in general (You can't smile at a girl when you're already smiling, you can smile bigger, but that's creepy if it isn't natural.)

The face moves with muscles though, and all muscles tire. I've had two people-person-jobs, I had to express so much, that I developed a tick under both eyes. My face muscles were just so worn from smiling, and furling, and frowning (The worst, it's like the pull-up of facial expressions.) that they twitched like my calves after I go cycling.

That tic hurt the very expressions that I valued so much to have cause it. I went from seeming gregarious, to unstable. The thing is, performing is wonderful, but faking is foolish. Working towards something your not, will just get you things you don't want. Working to be a person other's want, will just get you things they want.

I don't mean to sound cynical though. Just sharing what I've learned so far. The truth is, this paradigm is all very new to me, and I'm excited to reattempt socializing now knowing I'm autistic. I've thought of carrying a compact mirror...

You could try to do it with someone else (a NT, preferably), it would be both useful and fun.

It's not good to be expressive from all the points of view, though. For example, I've always been extremely expressive (people can see on my face everything I feel) and I already have wrinkles at 24:))

I found this thought of yours incredibly sweet, it brought ME a huge smile:)

It usually goes something like this. I'll be walking around, and then I'll notice a reflection of myself in a window or something. As soon as I look into it, I notice something strange. I look like I'm not all there, as if I'm completely unaware of what's going on around me. Then, as soon as I notice, I think that's not the person I want to be, and so I do something, almost half unconsciously. As I continue to look at myself in the reflection, I find that I start to look more like a normal person: aware, somewhat happy, and confident. I have no idea what I start to look like as I move away from the reflection.

I've noticed this mirror effect as well. Some people have mistaken me for vain even. The mirror provides feedback, and there is something to feedback, especially for me. Viewing one's self in a mirror is related to self-stimulation.

It doesn't stop at the eyes though. I've noticed that when I listen carefully to my own voice, it's character will change much like my gate and body language does change in the mirror.

There's definitely something to carrying a compact mirror though, that's for sure!

I've always loved doing facial expressions in the mirror. I make different faces. But I found out they give you wrinkles when you use too much facial expressions

People tell me that I always look like I'm sad. I have to explain to them that I'm not sad. I look like Mick Avory did in his chubbier stages between 1964 and 1966. I have no problem with that. It's the crazy NTs who expect everybody to be grinning and giving big, toothy smiles all the time while hiding their bottom lips who have a problem with it.

Crazy NT women.

I also see a spitting image of his face on me, in the mirror. I think that it's quite cute.