FOR A SHY person, life is different.
You don’t have to do small talk with people (because you can’t), you have no dating issues (because you don’t ask anyone out) and you know your friends are real friends, because they’ve burrowed their way through to the real you.
It may sound absolutely fantastic, but being shy is not without its problems. Here are just a few.
The complete befuddlement when someone you don’t know tries to start a conversation with you
Who said there would be talking in this elevator? I sincerely thought this was a no-talking elevator.
Making idle conversation is hard
Admittedly, the Irish in general aren’t great at small talk, but even tried-and-true topics evade you.
It always ends up going something like this: “Hey…how are you?” “Fine, how are things” “Grand…so how are you?”
Ask someone out? You’re joking, right?
Your fail-safe dating tactic is to never ever speak to the person you fancy, in case you say something that ruins it forever. Best to watch from afar.
People think you’re standoffish
Nope. Just racked with fear at the thought of having a conversation with you.
The idea of ‘networking’ makes you itch
You mean you just go up to people that you don’t know? And talk to them?
You’re CRAZY.
You have a few jars and turn into a different person
You’ll network then, so you will.
But just like Cinderella, your beautiful ball gown (AKA new-found extrovert qualities) will disappear at midnight (AKA the next morning).
Public speaking is just…no
The mere idea of making a presentation is enough to rob you of sleep for a week.
The thought of all those eyes on you, watching you try to put words into sentences that have meanings. It’s too big an ask, surely?
When people say the internet has ruined social interactions
What part? It has greatly strengthened yours. It’s so much easier to say things in a tweet or a text or a Facebook post than in real life, right? RIGHT?
When people say “You’re very quiet”
There is no real way to respond to this, is there?
What you say: “Yeah, heh.”
What you think: STOP DRAWING ATTENTION TO IT. LET ME BE QUIET.
