I smile some. I have a hard time looking people in the eyes. It's like I don't want them to know about me or something.
Wow, that is a profound statement.
Someone called Phobologist on this website made an in-depth study, and one of the things he said was that very same thing.
In psychology they have the concept of the "core belief" which boils down to feeling that there is something wrong with you.
Both of the above are consistent with what you said.
I suppose an important step would be to find out what it is.
Well, I'm pretty sure something is wrong with me Hehe. Just a lot of work to do when it comes to breaking out of the shyness and being more confident.
I've been out of work for about two years. I've never been one without a job. I do know that during these years my isolation has increased dramatically. I feel I have no self-worth due to not working. Thus, no adult interaction. Confidence has hit a low in these years, although I've always had the shyness issue.
Well, I'm pretty sure something is wrong with me Hehe. Just a lot of work to do when it comes to breaking out of the shyness and being more confident.
I've been out of work for about two years. I've never been one without a job. I do know that during these years my isolation has increased dramatically. I feel I have no self-worth due to not working. Thus, no adult interaction. Confidence has hit a low in these years, although I've always had the shyness issue.
Sometimes.....someone will look at me and smile then I have usually just given a nervous, awkward smile or have been to anxious so just looked away real quick.....but I smile around friends and family. It's just when a random stranger smiles at me.
I really don't like the way I look when I smile and feel awkward when I do...when people smile at me I make a slight attempt to smile back though, or say quietly say "hi" to acknowledge them. Naturally when going about my day I don't smile, I start daydreaming and staring off into space with this blank expression on my face and I have a feeling people think of me as being aloof because of this...
Once I had a restaurant job as a hostess (cringe, the job's amount of social interaction was enough to make me sick to my stomach every morning) and the manager scolded me because I didn't smile at customers enough or my voice didn't sound "friendly" enough while greeting them. I felt like I was being a fake and very dishonest to myself whenever I put on that act...