How often do you find yourself smiling? Are you of a stoic demeanour, saving your smile for rare occasions that you deem worthy, or are you more of an open and expressive person who likes to show it? Do you find yourself smiling in response to others who do the same?
I don’t really smile that often. I usually have a blank, expressionless stare. I do smile, but usually when I’m getting a picture taken or for color guard (we’re forced to smile).
In Russia they have a saying that translates to "Never trust someone who smiles for no reason", which is how I keep my face despite being a fairly upbeat guy. I flash a forced smile at people in the hallways, but that's entirely because explaining my calm face to everyone is tiring. I even have to force myself to smile on some occasions so I don't seem like a jerk. Like attending a wedding? My cheeks are going to be hurting and I'm going to be physically exhausted from the focus. Just... don't ever instruct anyone to smile (unless you're a photographer, maybe), and don't ever let anyone instruct you to smile. Your face is your own, leave it in the shape you want to leave it!
I only smile when I’m not actively thinking about it.. Anytime I do it on purpose leads to either a smug looking grin or an ear to ear grin that makes my cheeks puffy. The pictures I put on the photo album thread are good examples. For that reason, I have a poker face most of the time.
Stoic, is that a good word to define me? Kind of. I don't tend to wear my emotions on my face and I do come off as dead pan most of the time. However, I do smile a lot. Whether it be a person passing in the halls or someone I'm glad to meet, I smile often and its not always forced. I tend to smile when others are smiling and those are genuine smiles. Sure I don't wear my own emotions on my face, but I'm very receptive to others emotions.
I smile a LOT. I smile almost everytime I look in any mirror. But, it depends on my mood. Smile can be fake, which hardly happens to me.
