povism – n. the frustration of being stuck inside your own head, unable to see your face or read your body language in context, only ever guessing how you might be coming across – which makes you think of yourself as a detached observer squinting out at a lushly painted landscape, though to everyone else you seem woven into the canvas.
That’s quite a definition. I know that many people aren’t aware of their body language or their expression. I know that watching myself in recordings has taught me to be aware of what I look like. However, before I did that, I didn’t realize how I reacted at times.
I see this often while coaching, and it can be hard to get players to realize their body language and expressions impact other players. Or the coaches.
I think I have some povism, and often would wish there were a monitor or mirror that helped me see what I look like. Easier to do on stage, but hard to do in life. Mostly, I can only reduce povism by asking my wife or kids to tell me when I am not projecting what I want.
From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows