Intimidation Factor

Meeting someone new can be a very scary thing.  “Will they like me?”  “Will I meet their expectations?”  All sorts of crazies run through our minds.  Well, maybe not.  I can only speak for myself.  But I imagine the majority of you have travelled down that path at least once or twice.

It’s different in every situation.  And with every person.  Take, for instance, these types of scenarios:

MEETING WHO?	WEIRD/ AWKWARD THOUGHTS I MIGHT HAVE
A new roommate	Will they criticize the weird things I eat?  How long before I can fart in front of them without them giving me the “you’re a freak” stare?  They’ll be so much more social than me, and I’ll be the loser watching “Big Bang Theory” on weekends.
A potential mate	Are they bored with what I’m talking about? How soon should I kiss them?  And should I kiss them, or should I let THEM make the first move? The dreadful pause during a conversation…how on earth am I going to fill it?!
An instructor/ preceptor	I’ll say something and they’ll think I’m completely unintelligent/ unqualified, and that I should head to admissions and drop the class immediately.  What if my stomach growls during the only silent 7 seconds of class? What if I ask a question and they don’t understand it, and they (with an annoyed expression) go on about something they just explained?

I feel that we suffer through that intimidation factor way more than we should allow ourselves to.  It’s especially bad when we think these things before we’ve ever even met someone.  I do it.  We all do it.  I think it’s because we often feel intimidated by the unknown. 

Take a look at the bigger picture and realize that these people, no matter their title, are all human.  They all have similar feelings.  They may or may not have had more, or different, experiences than we have.  But the point is they’ve dealt with anxiety, nervousness, anticipation, heartbreak.  I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t.    I think just having that basic understanding- knowing that you’re not alone in the way you’re feeling- makes those new, intimidating situations, like those listed above, more manageable.

I do want to say this.  Don’t let yourself NOT do something because you’re afraid you’ll feel inferior.   Don’t run away because you might have to do something you’re not comfortable with, or because it’s out of the ordinary and isn’t a part of your typical routine.  Don’t let those things stop you because, chances are, you’ll regret it. 

Take a leap of faith and go for it. Ask him out, sign up for that program, or check off that item on your bucket list.  It will change you, I can promise you that.  But it will change you for the better.