Fake it until you make it
This works unless you are someone who has no clue what is being made.
We once drove home in a terrible snowstorm. Before our eyes looked as though God had reach down and took an eraser and started erasing away the world. We followed the faint sight of a vehicles taillights in front of us. An extreme adventure of faking it until we made me. It was unpleasant. My back and legs hurt from being tense and my eyes kept on blinking. My brain kept on suggesting
“maybe do not follow to closely in case they drive off the road, then you will follow them right off the road”
In my life being aware of facial expressions and what they are making is a task. I do have pretty good eye sight but the message behind any give expression leaves what seems to me to be too many variables.
A smile for example- There are many reasons a person smiles.
They could be saying “I love you” (that’s very rare)
They could be saying “you’re full of crap I don’t believe you”
They could be saying “hurry up and finish what you are saying”
They could be saying “ I just remembered something while you were talking”
They could be saying “I have missed you”
They could be saying “What you just said was really funny to me”
They could be saying “ Nothing at all because they are faking it”
They could be saying “this is an automatic thing I do and don’t even realize I am doing it”
All these reasons may be why so many people have asked me “why do you hardly ever smile”
Did you know that scientists are figuring out that dogs are able to tell the difference between a happy and an angry person?
But did you know some people smile when they are angry?
Did you know that just because you smile when you don’t understand something does not mean you understand it. I realize it does make others think you do.
Proverbs 15-A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
Autistic Tip- Let your smile be genuine and true. We are traveling almost blindly here in many of the storms of our life.
I know this takes a lot of slowing down and discerning but you can tell us why you are smiling.
I have attempted to feel my own face and understand this involuntary expression of life.
Scientists have concluded that a smile is born in the cortex of the brain and travels to the brainstem. The brainstem is the oldest part of the brain and controls all involuntary actions. (like your heartbeat- you can’t fake your heartbeat)
I want to always be-aware of the genuine smile upon someones face. I am pretty great at seeing those, mostly because the genuine smile is totally contagious!
However am painfully aware there is also a Social smile I must learn.
Maybe one day I will get to my destination.
