The challenge of socializing in adult situations...
Surprisingly, the thing is that I don't really know how to socialize as an adult in an adult setting. That's not really what could be classified as social anxiety, but even it is, it's not that I can't do it, I just don't seem to know how to do it. Someone at work, an older woman with a motherly way about her, suggested I should get "coaching." I don't really know why she suggested that but that's not something I would consider doing even if there is such a thing. I wouldn't even know how to go about it... I mean asking someone for that kind of help.
I guess we were talking and I probably mentioned something like I don't really know how to socialize. I didn't really take her comment as an insult, but it did bother me that she said that on account of I wasn't really expecting her to be critical without really knowing my situation. But she said it like in a motherly way like she would with one of her kids. After she told me that, she said I rolled my eyes like her kids do and she laughed.
I don't want to be that guy who blames everyone else for every situation, but it's mostly people not really giving me a chance and deciding that I'm not "adult enough" to even get the benefit of the doubt. I'm really more sophisticated than maybe I come across. I tried wearing a button-up shirt and tie for a few days but that just created more of a distraction than any help.
Anyway, I guess I just need to continue working on this more. It's just that I feel out of place, I guess you could say, when being in a group of working adults in a social situation. I guess it's a state of mind that is really messing me up. I either come across as awkwardly silent or when I do add to the conversation it seems like I am not really adding anything worthwhile but just speaking up for the sake of speaking up and everyone ends up seeing through it. It would help if I actually knew what people were thinking or if they would just give me a chance.
I guess we were talking and I probably mentioned something like I don't really know how to socialize. I didn't really take her comment as an insult, but it did bother me that she said that on account of I wasn't really expecting her to be critical without really knowing my situation. But she said it like in a motherly way like she would with one of her kids. After she told me that, she said I rolled my eyes like her kids do and she laughed.
I don't want to be that guy who blames everyone else for every situation, but it's mostly people not really giving me a chance and deciding that I'm not "adult enough" to even get the benefit of the doubt. I'm really more sophisticated than maybe I come across. I tried wearing a button-up shirt and tie for a few days but that just created more of a distraction than any help.
Anyway, I guess I just need to continue working on this more. It's just that I feel out of place, I guess you could say, when being in a group of working adults in a social situation. I guess it's a state of mind that is really messing me up. I either come across as awkwardly silent or when I do add to the conversation it seems like I am not really adding anything worthwhile but just speaking up for the sake of speaking up and everyone ends up seeing through it. It would help if I actually knew what people were thinking or if they would just give me a chance.
26-30, M
