Going to stop avoiding...soon

[shygirl86]

Whenever i see someone i know in public, i avoid eye contact and try to look busy. I really want to try and break that habit, and at least make eye contact and smile. Funny how hard it is to even do that!
Any advice for how to make myself do this?

[The Strong Silent Type]

I started by walking daily on a local path and just saying hi to everyone I passed. After a while, saying hi (including to those I knew) became second nature.

[mind_games]

Originally Posted by The Strong Silent Type

I started by walking daily on a local path and just saying hi to everyone I passed. After a while, saying hi (including to those I knew) became second nature.

I did this too for a while during my morning run.

When it comes to saying hi to people I know however, the main reason I avoid them is not so much SA, but knowing that I will inevitably have to explain what I am doing with my life. Not having done much with it so far, its a topic I hate to get into.

If this is not an issue for you, one thought that always helps me is that, at least to begin with, these interactions don't have to last long at all. At the very least you might be able to get away with a wave of the hand and a smile (if say the other person is on the opposite side of the road).

Even if you get into a convo, you can always leave any time you want by saying you are in a hurry and you have to be somewhere. Knowing/Believing that you have this control over the interaction definitley helps me.