Does anyone else have issues with facial expressions?

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If someone says something and it's normal for me to smile, I smile really awkwardly. It's difficult to force. Even when I naturally smile, it's difficult to keep smiling for more than a few seconds, I'd rather just let my face relax and look emotionless. I've been trying to learn ASL too and I need to make facial expressions sometimes when signing, but it's really difficult. Does anyone have the same experiences?

Yeah. When certain social situations occur (typically involving strangers) I smile in a way that feels like an automatic/conditioned response as opposed to something "natural". I couldn't force a genuine looking smile so in a way I'm somewhat glad this automatic response is in place. When I do naturally smile in front of others due to laughter I tend to look away briefly which I think is another behaviour I've made automatic due to some deeply rooted self-consciousness regarding smiling and laughing. I also never seem to smile with my teeth unless I'm laughing. I don't really know how, plus there's that self-consciousness even though I apparently have really good teeth. It's probably a reluctance to feel vulnerable as well. I feel like all of this means I don't smile as much as I could in conversation which may make people who don't know me uncomfortable.

Recently after a long social gathering my face ached from smiling, I wonder if it's possible that that's due to a lack of using those facial muscles for smiling.

I much prefer the ease and relaxed feeling of my default expression, but I think smiling makes me feel happy.

It is hard for me to express all emotions

I'm fairly expressionless even though my boyfriend did say I have a resting mean face

I switch a lot. Sometimes I am told I look emotionless, other times I am way too expressive.