My friend circle is, for lack of a better word, nonexistent. The struggle is real regarding communication and social skills, even among family. Once I turned ten, it felt as though every social skill I learned ascended and never reincarnated.
The year before middle school, every friend I had made since first grade no longer wanted to breathe the same air. Even my best friend had joined a new crowd and refused to speak to me. From then on, if someone talked to me, I would nod or look away to not say something unusual or stare while I debated what to say. Others often found me rude or strange, and for a while, I closed my mind to the idea of spending time with anyone outside of my family.
Today, I’m improving at expressing thoughts and am more open to conversing with coworkers. If I could offer advice to others with social anxiety, I’d say, “Start small.” Listen to conversations around you, and find out what others are interested in. You don’t have to interject; you can compare your interests. Do you have something in common that you could quickly bring up when it’s just the two of you?
Things happen. Life happens. If you withdraw from those around you, remember that starting small exchanges can lead to significant changes.
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