Mirrors and practicing ?

[GoofKing]

Do you use a mirror to practice things like body languages, expressions and to see how to improve clumsy movement ? I think I've read that actors/actresses do this to practice acting and to get into character and roles

 

[mama_lotus]

Yes, I have my whole life.

 

[GoofKing]

Does it help with social anxiety and self consciousness ? I used to do this until I got frustrated and sort of quit doing it for a while ...

 

[mama_lotus]

I feel like a tool when I do it (yes even though it's just me in the mirror) but yeah it helps. Think of it as memorization. Just memorize how a certain facial expression or gesture feels. I am an incredible mimic and I think maybe this is why. Now that I'm older and have kids I rarely get private moments anymore but way back when, when coming off as NT mattered more to me, this was totally my MO.

 

[King_Oni]

I've once thought about using a mirror for such things. But then it hit me; How would I know if what I'm doing is the right thing? Perhaps with learning things I'm someone who needs someone around (a teacher or coach) who has a perfect understanding of something I'm learning and improving to tell me "yes, this is the right way".. .going by assumption that this might be ok, just makes me lose focus and interest.

As for learning it yourself; even there it would come down to recognizing the "right" body language and expressions. I don't even have an eye for that. I tend to go what I think looks good, but that might just as well be someone who's motorskills and body language is way worse than mine (if an expert on such things would judge it).

Similarly; I struggle enough to fail to recognize a smile at times. To me it just looks like gestures or expressions with no intentions at all. And granted; I think some expressions are ugly or perhaps pretty. So for what it's worth I could perceive someones smile (a positive gesture) as an ugly expression; why would I want to mimic that? On that note I also feel that some people look prettier with certain expressions, and outright atrocious with other expressions (though that's a matter of facial composition and such and not a univeral thing).

Interestingly enough I spend quite some time in front of mirror, though that's probably a small hint of narcissistic traits in me, since I do like to look at myself from time to time. I end up making the craziest faces there, though that might be partially for shaving, lol

 

[mama_lotus]

^Those thoughts are all fascinating to me.

As for me, I choose someone whom I admire and imitate them. But. Don't imitate *all* of their mannerisms, because that's creepy. Pick and choose. Real people and TV characters, whatever. Just find reactions to shocking situations or dance moves or facial expressions or reactions to grief or whatever and imitate them. I suppose you have to have a photographic memory for this to work, though, and if you are observing real people, you can't stare too much or their Creeper Alarm goes off.

 

[GoofKing]

I lost count of how many times I accidentally set off some creeper alarm :/ This had to do with how I used to walk around in my own little world and how girls used to a part of my fantasies of being some macho hero who battles movie villains ... Maybe even that's too weird for Aspies :|

 

[mama_lotus]

Not too weird for me, sir. But then, I am a super weird chick masquerading as a super normal one. So, don't ask me what "too weird" is, my answer is almost always "nothing".

 

[King_Oni]

^Those thoughts are all fascinating to me.

There's plenty more where that came from, lol

As for me, I choose someone whom I admire and imitate them. But. Don't imitate *all* of their mannerisms, because that's creepy. Pick and choose. Real people and TV characters, whatever. Just find reactions to shocking situations or dance moves or facial expressions or reactions to grief or whatever and imitate them. I suppose you have to have a photographic memory for this to work, though, and if you are observing real people, you can't stare too much or their Creeper Alarm goes off.

Unless you pick Sheldon Cooper. Don't suppose that would help... that might even be a downgrade.

 

[gonzerd]

There's plenty more where that came from, lol



Unless you pick Sheldon Cooper. Don't suppose that would help... that might even be a downgrade.

I think I used to do exactly that. I'd always mimic the character I personify with, which would pretty much always be the strange weird one, or the weird strange one. And no, it didn't help. But it was fun. At times.

 

[mama_lotus]

Or Luna Lovegood. She sure is endearing