Member-only story
Zoom Taught Me an Important Lesson about Portraying Myself
Video meetings can change how you appear to yourself
Do you ever wish you could see how you appear to others?
It sucks when we don’t know something is stuck in our teeth, spilled on our pants, or marked on our faces. Kick me signs aren’t funny, and neither is the mortification of having your skirt stuck in your tights or your collar popped on one side. But, what about your facial expressions? Ever wonder what your face is doing while others are talking.
I’m the kid on Christmas day who, after tearing into the best present ever, remains completely neutral. I know people hate it when people don’t react the way they expected. It’s a lived experience. I’m that person 365-days of the year. I’ve had someone offer me a job and, to my neutral expression, ask, “Is this not what you wanted?” Of course, it’s what I wanted!
Today I was a different person. In yoga, I was laughing, smiling, and nodding. I find that in meetings where everyone’s muted but the host, I have to react physically. I bob my head through explanations, smile through stories, and laugh out loud at jokes. Somehow, Zoom has taught me how to emote outwardly. Showing emotion is something I don’t do in public regularly. Now, I’m smiling at people all of the time.
