When it comes to sending out congruent, fluid facial messages, variety is one of the major keys to success (as it is with almost all things presentational). If you have concerns about being expressive, setting up a feedback loop will be critical to your development.

Usually, people who have challenges expressing themselves through their face have learned their behavior. In other words, they have no physical impairment. As children they were probably as expressive as other children, but over time, for personal reasons, they deprogrammed their facial output.

Here's the tip: the muscles in your face are like the muscles anywhere else in your body. If you want them to perform for you, they need to be exercised.

On top, raise your eyebrows up as far as they'll go, then pinch 'em together. Try to raise one independently of the other. If you can, try to switch which one you raise. Bet you can't! Stretch your eyes far to each side without turning your head. Stretch them up, then down, keeping your chin still.

On the bottom, bare your teeth and grin fiercely. Raise your cheeks until they squeeze your eyes. Drop your jaw and push your lips forward. Yawn. Wiggle your bottom jaw. Chew in an exaggerated way.

If you really stretch your muscles, you'll feel a tingle from the blood flowing in your face. But that's just an incidental benefit from stretching. What is also happening is the beginning of a "loosening up" process that will allow your face to become part of an integrated communications system.

None of these recommendations are difficult to do physically. Committing to them and overcoming the "feeling foolish" factor is the hardest part.

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