Hi breakfreerut
This is a valid question, perhaps this post could clarify a bit:
I used the term "mirroring” in Stop Walking on Eggshells in a section called, “Be a Mirror, Not a Sponge.” What I meant was that when your BP insults you, etc., don’t soak it in, but deflect it off you as if you were a mirror.
I made a mistake! The term has another meaning in the psych literature. There, “Mirroring” means acting like another person as a way to show a connection. :
This is what Wikipedia says:
Mirroring in simplest form is copying what someone else is doing while communicating with them. Observed in people exhibiting similar postures, gestures or voice tonality.
This copying or miming includes: Gestures; Movements; Body language ; Muscle tensions; Expressions; Tones; Eye movements; Breathing; Tempo; Accent (linguistics); Attitude (psychology); Choice of words; Metaphors, and; everything discernable in communication.
Mirroring happens very naturally when people are conversing. The listeners will typically smile or frown along with the speaker talking to them. If one person throws in sports metaphors, another person, who is in rapport and mirroring, will likely parry along similar lines.
Somewhat like a communication dance. There is matching as if it was a dance, while having normal conversation. People do this naturally with their silent body language and spoken words.
When meeting people, if you display the same expression as they have, or mirror their expression, they will generally be much more friendly. You might see this related to the way a person accepts their own image when looking in a mirror.To put this on practice "Being a mirror, not a sponge": You stay centered and focused on your self, not to be sucked in in all the drama. You don't take all the emotions in like a sponge, especially in all the mood swings.
I think in your situation you did just that. I know its hard sometimes.
