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How to learn to use Facial expressions to better express yourself?

facial expressions

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#1 The Immortalist

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:57 PM


Hey all,

I feel that I have difficulty conveying emotions and expressing myself properly. Also I feel that my facial expressions may sometimes be off. My mom sometimes tells me that I have a dead or vacant look to my face. My uncle also tells me that I have shifty eye contact and that may make people think I;m untrustworthy(I don't do it on purpose). I want to fix this potential problem because well isn't it creepy to have a vacant expression on your face all the time? And I also don;t want people to think I'm boring and or untrustworthy or something. How can I learn to better use facial expressions for better interacting with people? I can't have a mirror with me all the time to see if I;m doing it right so what should I do? Would acting classes be good for this? I think I've heard that Tom Hanks is apparently a successful actor not for his looks but for his ability to use facial expression much better then other people

PS: I definitely don't have Aspergers or some shit since I'm very good at picking up on and understanding even the most subtlest of cues people make like tone of voice, body language, facial expressions etc. I'm just not good at expressing myself for some reason lol.

#2 churchill

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 08:42 AM

Also video yourself, going through various emotions, see what it looks like, if as you say you are good at judging facial expressions then you should be able to see what you look like when you think you are expressing a certain emotion. You could try skyping with various people with a webcam, making sure to record yourself, then you can look through and see what you look like. Hopefully this self analysis will make you become more aware about your expressions.

If people say you have shifty eye contact it is may be that you are not focussing on their eyes for long enough, if this makes you uncomfortable then focus on the bridge of the nose. Try to keep eye contact for at least 5 seconds then look away (not down but up or too the side) briefly then look back, if you look for too long you will start to freak people out, generally you will have more eye contact when you are listening. Also I wonder if you are blinking regularly enough... I guess this will show up when you video yourself. Apparently in a lab setting someone blinks an average of 10 times per minute.

I think acting classes would help. Practice makes perfect.
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#3 The Immortalist

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 08:32 PM

acting classes be good for this? I think I've heard that Tom Hanks is apparently a successful actor not for his looks but for his ability to use facial expression much better then other people


I think I meant to say Robin Williams rather than Tom Hanks, well it's one of the two lol.

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#4 hippocampus

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 06:38 PM

I have exactly the same problem + my voice is always like that I'm reading obituaries :). I haven't noticed this till my therapist told me and few other people also mentioned it sometimes. Therapist recommended me to practice emotional expressions in front of a mirror but it hasn't really helped me a lot. I just try to be relaxed, because I think that for me it's mostly because of my social anxiety. I also try to look in the eyes and now I don't have any problem with that, although few years ago I just couldn't because it made me uncomfortable. It's also hard to practice this, because even if you manage to express emotions at home (in front of a mirror I don't have any problems!), you may be anxious in social interactions and still have emotionless face. Therapist told me that I do this because I want to protect myself (my "secrets") from other people and I think it's true. When I'm relaxed with my family I don't have this problems although I'm not happy so often as most people.

#5 churchill

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 06:43 PM

I have exactly the same problem + my voice is always like that I'm reading obituaries :). I haven't noticed this till my therapist told me and few other people also mentioned it sometimes. Therapist recommended me to practice emotional expressions in front of a mirror but it hasn't really helped me a lot. I just try to be relaxed, because I think that for me it's mostly because of my social anxiety. I also try to look in the eyes and now I don't have any problem with that, although few years ago I just couldn't because it made me uncomfortable. It's also hard to practice this, because even if you manage to express emotions at home (in front of a mirror I don't have any problems!), you may be anxious in social interactions and still have emotionless face. Therapist told me that I do this because I want to protect myself (my "secrets") from other people and I think it's true. When I'm relaxed with my family I don't have this problems although I'm not happy so often as most people.


Tell us your secrets:)
I think acting would help with this also, fake it till you make it.

#6 karma02

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 03:47 AM

Take acting classes.




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