9 Goals for 09 - Pt 8

Be More Friendly

It's become crystal clear to me this year that I am not a friendly person. Maybe it's my social awkwardness, maybe it's the fact that I'm an introvert, maybe it's just lack of practice being around folks I don't know. I'm not one to strike up a conversation with someone I don't know or even smile and make small talk most days. I tend to be a look down and stare at the floor type person. The truth is I'm awful at this and there are a dozen reasons for me to be at least good if not great.

While I don't feel some burning need to fit a mold or be like anyone other than Jesus (he does seem like a friendly guy though) I see folks who have that ability to make friends easily, to strike up conversations with strangers, brighten the day of people they don't know, and build a relationship with nothing more to work with than being in the same place at the same time and think tot myself that's a skill, in fact that's a way of life I want to emulate. (Dang that was a long sentence.) This will be the hardest of these goals for me. I can't schedule it in. I can't just encourage some natural tendency in me. It's uncomfortable and awkward and if I'm being totally transparent kind of scary for me. I'm going to just have to dig down, man up, risk embarrassment, err on the side of overdoing it, and be friendly. On the Bus, at the office, in the store, with my neighbors, I stink. I want to do better.