Cookout

[EricJones]

Going to a cookout today. Feeling anxious about strangers being there, and potentially talking to me. Also don't want to feel awkward around my family members because no one really talks to me that much. They know i'm more mellow and reserved. So they just leave me alone , which I wish people would reach out a hand to talk to me and make me feel more comfortable. What do you think i should do about the strangers or about the fact that I won't be spoken to very often?

[CL3V3R-G1RL]

Well I hope the cold cookout went went.

I have some experience in this because I know someone who is the "shy" "quiet" and "reserved" person in his family too. And all too often family members just become comfortable with that for him. It's just let him be who he is. However what they don't know is that he wants to be included. It's just he feels awkward about it. And if someone can just open the door up just a little bit maybe he can conversation more. But his family members have just gotten use to him being quiet that they don't bother really speaking to him. He's been working on trying to change that image. Because he's kind inadvertently cultivated that image of what his family thinks of him.

Sometimes you have to be the one to open that door. You have to reach out to your family. So yeah talk to them. Hell, mention the fact that this is out of your character but you really want to connect with your family. As for strangers, get a family member to help be a wingman in a way. So you are not left there in an awkward manner of banter which leads to dead air lol

[EricJones in reply to CL3V3R-G1RL]

yeah I'm like the person you described above.....as for the strangers, yeah I'm not afraid to talk to them, well maybe a little bit. I'm afraid to sit/stand next to them, because I hyper focus on them and feel they can sense that I do that