Welcome to Gaia! ::

Okay. This... I'm not sure I'll be able to explain it properly.

Lately I've been becoming more and more aware of the way other people see me and perceive my personality.
It often does not match my own opinions of myself, and in some ways this is good and in some ways this is bad.

I also feel like I am putting forth a personality when I talk to people. I try to make my outward appearance match the way I want people to see me. This personality is not necessarily true, and it is not necessarily untrue... It's like I'm just becoming more aware of the image I'm broadcasting out to the world in the things I do.

In your opinion, how are you perceived by others?

Do you do things to seem a certain way in public? Do you dress or act a certain way to seem smarter, hipper, more professional or more approachable?

Do you consciously try to communicate a certain identity trait in public? Is it true to your internal personality?

Do you feel it is dishonest to do these things? Just a necessary part of living in the world? Or something else?

And finally, which is the absolute truth, the you that everyone else sees, or the you that exists internally?

It is really difficult to judge how others perceive me. But let's see.

I see myself as an honest and willing, but mostly closed character to people I'm not close with.

I suspect others, though, see me as a bit grumpy and socially awkward.
I've actually been told that I am perceived as grumpy.
Apparently if you haven't got a constant smile on, you're grumpy.

Oh. People also often think I don't have a sense of humour. (:

I also take a great interest in the world around me, but I suspect others often think I'm ignorant or just don't care. I get this impression because when I say something about anything they didn't notice, or something about the world that isn't ground in ignorance, a lot of people seem surprised.

People also perceive me as uninterested in relationships and sex. I know this for a fact. Pretty much because I purposely put on a nonchalance about it.

Though that's mostly in real life. As with most of us, my online character is much more my real character. Except I still put on a nonchalance about sex and relationships with people I don't know very well.
My girlfriend thought I was practically a-sexual until a little after she professed that she loved me. Fortunately she was actually happier to find out the truth, and was 'prepared for' the a-sexual thing.

Edit.

I realise that's a bit of a contradiction, posting it in a relatively public forum. But I'm not -that- closed off about it. 8 D