I thought for so many years that mirroring someone else’s nuances during conversations was natural and what most people did to make the other person like them.

I learnt recently that mirroring is a masking mechanism and most people do not do it, but I do.

I still remember this one guy I dated in my early adult years, he said I had no character. That stung, but I suppose it was because I was quiet and didn’t make loud boisterous jokes like everyone seems to these days and his personality was something I subconsciously didn’t want to mirror.

Good thing he’s an ex now because I would never want a neck tattoo of my own (like his.)

And now that I have these words and understanding of mirroring and masking, I try my best to not mimick someone else in a conversation. I try to stay natural and myself, as awkward and odd as I may come across. It’s me, and I don’t want to pretend to be someone else.

I am autistic

I am a Non-Miss