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Did/do you practice facial expressions in the mirror?

HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
I used to practice facial expressions in the mirror all the time as a kid, even as an older toddler, because I was very aware that I was bad at making them. I remember being around 4 and noticing that the way I made myself "smile" looked more like I was trying to bare my teeth and intimidate a Baboon, so I practiced smiling in the mirror. 😳😂

I also remember that doing this reminded me of Sims practicing their charisma skill in the mirror, which must have partly been where I learned to do it from.

I still am not good at smiling and making other expressions, so I actually don't do it often anymore since it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Sometimes if I notice I really can't do a facial expression (via a picture or something) I'll try practicing it though. I think I still have issues because my problems with proprioception make it nearly impossible to "feel" what my face is doing, so it's hard to learn what equals the facial expression I want to make...

Comments

  • I have been told I have a very nice smile. Even strangers comment on it. If I look in the mirror, I can see I have a kind of glowy smile. At this point in my life span, it is the only way I look at all like a real person. 

    Yes, I have looked at expressions in the mirror over my life span. Probably not at 4 years old though. But I didn't grow up with TV and had no way to get that idea. I don't even think there was a mirror I could reach in the house where I lived until I was probably about 6.

    I don't think it occurred to me there was something unusual about the way I looked. I just thought others were misinterpreting me. 

    In regards to proprioception. I am actually getting worried because my proprioception is getting markedly worse. I can no longer touch my nose with my eyes closed. I noticed the other day when I tried to transfer an object from one hand to the other, and I couldn't see my hands, I was off by a LOT, like maybe six inches or more. I had to find the other arm and then feel my way down. 

    Now I am so conscious of how aged my face looks, that I study different expressions to try to find the expressions and angles that don't exacerbate the old lumpy face. 
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    ...In regards to proprioception. I am actually getting worried because my proprioception is getting markedly worse. I can no longer touch my nose with my eyes closed. I noticed the other day when I tried to transfer an object from one hand to the other, and I couldn't see my hands, I was off by a LOT, like maybe six inches or more. I had to find the other arm and then feel my way down...
    I think some aspects of my proprioception have stayed the same, and some have gotten better or worse as I've gotten older. I still can't really tell where my limbs are if I can't see them, and it makes me bump into things all the time. I'm also guilty of breaking things due to not being able to tell how much force I'm putting onto them.

    Do you exercise enough? I've always heard physical activity and exercise are suggested ways to build and upkeep proprioceptive skills. I think when I don't exercise enough my issues get really bad and I become super clumsy.
  • I don’t exercise enough due to chronic illnesses that keep getting in the way. I keep trying though. 
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    I don’t exercise enough due to chronic illnesses that keep getting in the way. I keep trying though. 
    I get that. I also find it hard to exercise as is needed because of chronic fatigue + my spinal pain.

    Regarding proprioception, I've been trying to find things online that give tips for how to improve it and don't involve exercising, or doing physical tasks that don't really go well with chronic illness/pain, and I've realized that there's not much info like that for some reason. If I manage to find anything helpful I'll link it here...
  • I have been told I have a very nice smile. Even strangers comment on it. If I look in the mirror, I can see I have a kind of glowy smile. At this point in my life span, it is the only way I look at all like a real person. 

    Yes, I have looked at expressions in the mirror over my life span. Probably not at 4 years old though. But I didn't grow up with TV and had no way to get that idea. I don't even think there was a mirror I could reach in the house where I lived until I was probably about 6.

    I don't think it occurred to me there was something unusual about the way I looked. I just thought others were misinterpreting me. 

    In regards to proprioception. I am actually getting worried because my proprioception is getting markedly worse. I can no longer touch my nose with my eyes closed. I noticed the other day when I tried to transfer an object from one hand to the other, and I couldn't see my hands, I was off by a LOT, like maybe six inches or more. I had to find the other arm and then feel my way down. 

    Now I am so conscious of how aged my face looks, that I study different expressions to try to find the expressions and angles that don't exacerbate the old lumpy face. 

    Me too😀
    Mainly minimizing the wrinkles in my neck. I am quite tolerant of my deteriorating body in general though it is very eerie watching myself gradually transform into an old lady.

  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    Teach51 said:
    Me too😀
    Mainly minimizing the wrinkles in my neck. I am quite tolerant of my deteriorating body in general though it is very eerie watching myself gradually transform into an old lady.
    I'm still quite young, but noticing myself look more and more like an adult as I get farther away from my teens is always odd to me. I don't think my appearance changing as I go through life will never not be weird.
  • I used to close my eyes and make a bunch of random faces in the mirror. Then suddenly freeze, open my eyes and laugh. 
  • I've never practised facial expressions.
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    Another question for people who never practiced facial expressions:

    If you aren't great at making/faking "normal" facial expressions, do you try to mitigate and "fix" that in other ways, or do you not really care and don't bother to try to do that at all?

    If you do, what do you do to improve your ability to make "normal" facial expressions?
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