Does anyone genuinely walk into a room of strangers and feel no fear?

[elprup]

Anyone? I wouldn’t say I have social anxiety, but the thought of walking into a room full of strangers and having to make small talk would make me nervous. Curious to know whether this is normal or if it does mean I have some sort of anxiety around people?

Lol agree completely with that. Wasps are the immortal energy, I can’t even tell you my experience over 10yrs ago with them as it will give you nightmare. But it made it 10 x worse for me

My idea of hell 🙈

I am naturally shy, although nowhere near as shy as I was as a child.

I don’t love the idea of walking into a room full of strangers - but I’m an adult, so I just get on and do it.

We encourage our DC to do things they don’t always want to to do, and push them outside their comfort zone. This builds their confidence and resilience.

The only reason I’m less shy as an adult, is because my Mum gently pushed and encouraged me, and as you get older and more practiced at things, they become less daunting.

It’s normal and fine to feel anxious. It’s a perfectly normal human emotion that we, as a society, seem to have told ourselves it’s not OK to experience, and must be avoided at all cost.

I don’t think this is good or healthy in the long term.

Doesn’t bother me but I have other anxieties about things that you probably don’t bat an eyelid at, OP. And yours is not unusual I would think.

I feel sick at the thought, I do have Social anxiety though not everyone would be able to tell.

I am doing this exact thing tonight

Going to my local sister shed to met some new people

I don't know anyone in this area.

I don't thibk I am nervous more excited at meeting new people and all the potential for new experiences

The super extroverted often manage to do this, which makes me incredibly jealous!

an ex colleague was one of them, I was worried inviting her to my hen do as she didn’t know anyone, within 10 mins of walking in she was invited to my cousins 21st birthday and my aunts salon opening! Still close with them all now (and me of course!) her partner was round my FILs house the other day, he is also a super extrovert and made connections at the wedding!

You need to do some work on your vocabulary.

"Nervous" does not equate to "fear" or "social anxiety".

A room full of people I know would probably cause me more anxiety

No, it really doesn't bother me. Ask me to ring someone on the phone (even if I know that person really well) on the other hand brings me out in a cold sweat and I'll do anything to get out of it.

It wouldn't be my favourite way to spend an evening but I'd manage to think up something superficial to say to someone and leave at the earliest opportunity.

It depends - if they all know each other and I'm the only newbie, I find it daunting. If everyone is a stranger to everyone else then it's fine.

I dislike it but I don't have fear, no. I don't enjoy going through the motions of talking to people I will not see again. I have a hundred things I would rather do than go to a big social gathering usually!

I was well-trained as a youngster and know how to ask questions which move the focus from myself. I can answer a question with a lengthy remark that reveals nothing but sounds friendly. I also have no fear of silence so do not panic if there is a lull.

I believe people can learn tricks to help.

I have no problem with it at all - but I know it’s not how everyone feels as my husband is not naturally relaxed in that situation but had to learn to ‘fake it to make it’ when his career increasingly made that sort of demand on him. I went to a corporate do with him once and he said afterwards that he admired how I worked the room and got a notoriously grumpy man chatting happily.

It’s partly background - we moved a lot with my father’s job when I was a child and I had to learn how to enter a new school and immediately suss out the social dynamics. My father was also very good with people and good at bringing out the best in others and I hope I learnt from him. I think that’s the key - concentrate on other people, not what you think they think of you. People think you are a great conversationalist if you get them talking about the things that interest them, without overstepping the mark into intrusiveness.

Or if you don’t feel like it - just take a low key stance and be part of the background. Not everyone has to glitter, there’s as much of a role for the bystander.

I would feel excited about all the possibilities waiting in that room!
Love small talk!

Most of the time

it doesn't bother me. People fascinate me. I'm nosey and mostly enjoy finding out about people. It does depend on my mood though, sometimes if I'm feeling quieter I just CBA.
So my mood and also context come into it

No fear at all. Not mad gone on public speaking in that context though. That brings the fear.

Same. I don’t care what strangers think of me but I do care what people I already know think of me

Me too.

Me.

I've always been good at small talk and I go to lots of things by myself where I don't know anyone

I'm OK with this. I'm quite comfortable talking to people I don't know or just standing by myself. I'm very anxious about other things you probably breeze through.

I have to do this regularly for my job, although more so online these days but it’s gradually returning to face to face.
I don’t really get nervous about it but I do get nervous before interviews!

No fear at all. Plenty of other stuff scares me, though!

I was shy as a child, but started to push myself to be more outgoing when I got to college. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I enjoy meeting people now. Feel The Fear and do it Anyway was a useful book back in the day, and Mel Robbins is more current with her 5 Second Rule.

Interviews are the worst!