On Sighing
I think I sigh more than most people.
Or perhaps I sigh more loudly.
In any case, over the last few years, I've become aware that this sighing I apparently do is interpreted by other people in a variety of ways completely unintended.
I first became aware of this a few years ago when my PI was complaining (a semiannually occurrence for all of us) about my work; he said that I was bored by our group meetings. I found this odd and told him; I actually usually find our group meetings interesting; I like to know what my coworker's are working on. Usually, literature reports are neat also.
"You are constantly sighing during group meeting," he said.
First, I had no idea I was constantly sighing. Second, even if I were, how is that an indication that I am bored?
I've always had my body language misinterpreted. If I'm angry, people think I'm sick; if I'm tired, people think I'm angry. (It has always annoyed me, because I want people to only pay attention to the things I actually say; as far as I'm concerned, my body language should mean nothing. It's completely imprecise.)
Anyhow, it seems this sighing thing was not just noticed by my boss. sadeyedartist mentions it on occasion also. "You just sighed; therefore, you must be bothered by what you are currently doing or by what I am saying." It's almost never the case.
But I've found myself becoming self-conscious of my sighs now.
I tend to sigh when I straighten up after bending over to pick things up. Is that so unusual?
I also seem to sigh when my brain pauses in thought, when I'm trying to recall what it was I wanted to do next or when I'm trying to solve some science/math problem and reach a moment where I get stuck for a bit.
Perhaps that latter event is why I apparently sigh during group meetings?
I wonder also if my extra sighing has to do with my being primarily a mouth breather.
I don't know; I've always thought of sighs as a sort of mini-yawns. I don't think they have much of anything to do with my emotional state.
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Or perhaps I sigh more loudly.
In any case, over the last few years, I've become aware that this sighing I apparently do is interpreted by other people in a variety of ways completely unintended.
I first became aware of this a few years ago when my PI was complaining (a semiannually occurrence for all of us) about my work; he said that I was bored by our group meetings. I found this odd and told him; I actually usually find our group meetings interesting; I like to know what my coworker's are working on. Usually, literature reports are neat also.
"You are constantly sighing during group meeting," he said.
First, I had no idea I was constantly sighing. Second, even if I were, how is that an indication that I am bored?
I've always had my body language misinterpreted. If I'm angry, people think I'm sick; if I'm tired, people think I'm angry. (It has always annoyed me, because I want people to only pay attention to the things I actually say; as far as I'm concerned, my body language should mean nothing. It's completely imprecise.)
Anyhow, it seems this sighing thing was not just noticed by my boss. sadeyedartist mentions it on occasion also. "You just sighed; therefore, you must be bothered by what you are currently doing or by what I am saying." It's almost never the case.
But I've found myself becoming self-conscious of my sighs now.
I tend to sigh when I straighten up after bending over to pick things up. Is that so unusual?
I also seem to sigh when my brain pauses in thought, when I'm trying to recall what it was I wanted to do next or when I'm trying to solve some science/math problem and reach a moment where I get stuck for a bit.
Perhaps that latter event is why I apparently sigh during group meetings?
I wonder also if my extra sighing has to do with my being primarily a mouth breather.
I don't know; I've always thought of sighs as a sort of mini-yawns. I don't think they have much of anything to do with my emotional state.
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