Is Your Face Saying What You Want it To?
Here's a question...
Have you ever been in a situation where someone (in my case, it was usually one of my daughters when they were kids), "Are you upset about something?" or "Are you mad at me?" or "Do you feel OK?" or some such WHEN YOU ARE FEELING PERFECTLY FINE??
I remember, more than once, having to say "I am NOT mad!" Often, they would come back with something like, "Well, you look mad."
When our faces are conveying a wrong message, it's usually because there is something happening in our bodies that we're unaware of.
For instance...Have you ever caught yourself clenching your jaw, frowning, or furrowing your brow when you're concentrating? Or noticed your shoulders creeping up toward your ears or your neck craning when you're sitting at your computer? Most of hold some amount of tension without knowing it.
And our bodies have fascinating ways of expressing on the outside, what's happening on the inside. And the place where this manifests most obviously is on our amazing faces.
As a face yoga instructor, I've watched hundreds of women discover tension patterns they never knew they had.
That slight furrow between the brows that's become so habitual it feels normal. The tightness around the jaw that's contributing to headaches and dental problems. The raised shoulders that strain the neck and create those "tech neck" lines.
🍃 Here's what I find so interesting: Often, when we learn to recognize these tension patterns, we can begin to consciously release them.
Not long ago I was working with a client who hated that she always looked "angry" in photos – even when she was having a wonderful time. During our session, I gently pointed out that she had a habit of contracting the muscles between her eyebrows all the time. (LOTS of us do)
But the funny thing is, she was shocked – she literally had no idea she was doing this! It had become so normal to her that she couldn't even feel the tension in that part of her face anymore.
This is why the relaxation component of face yoga - which we address with things like massage, acupressure, and deep breathing - is just as important as the toning exercises.
When we chronically hold tension in our face, it can:
Create and deepen fine lines and wrinkles
Make us look tired, stressed, or upset (even when we're not)
Affect our mood (yes, there's fascinating research on how facial expressions can ac*:ln bvctually influence our emotions!)
Contribute to headaches and jaw pain
Restrict healthy blood flow to the skin
The great news is that becoming aware of these patterns is the first step to releasing them. And with consistent practice, you can actually retrain those muscles to stay more relaxed in your day-to-day life.
One of my favorite quick stress-relief exercises is what I call the "Face Reset."
It's simple:
Take a deep breath in through your nose
As you exhale through your mouth, drop your shoulders away from your ears and let your head float toward the ceiling
Drop your jaw and open your mouth slightly (as though you're about to yawn)
Let your tongue relax away from the roof of your mouth
Place one finger on the acupressure point between your brows, breath into that spot and consciously release any tension there
Try it right now – you might be surprised at how much tension you were unconsciously holding!
Over time, face yoga helps create a new awareness of these tension patterns that allow you to notice when stress is showing up in your face, and you'll have tools to release it before it becomes etched into your skin.