I am quite poorly trained for social interactions. I am horrible at doing conversations, and I should get out and start talking to people, there is just a lot of things going in the way. Mostly fear, and time issues.
Hi TommyH -
Great to have you here.
I'm thinking that before I met other gifted people, I didnt' realize how harshly I was always judging myself. Then I met lots of other gifted people and see that it's so common amoung us. I think that it is because we don't have much of a useful reference standard to compare ourselves to. Also, we tend to have such vivid and strong imagination. I used to think that if I could imagine a 'perfect way' to behave, that I should judge myself to that perfect standard. Now I see that as much as I want my perfect world to be the real world, it just isn't. And the actual, current world has so much good in it!
So, my guess is that while on one hand, there is always room for improvement in the social skills department, that you probably aren't as bad as you think. Therefore, it would be a shame to let fear of being unskilled stop you from getting more experience which would help you improve. Vicious circle - see? If it helps, praise yourself for being able to imagine what having totally wonderful social skills would be like, and give yourself permission to have 'mere mortal' level of social skills.
I hope this fits, if not, I hope it fits the lurker who is reading over our shoulders! ((giggle))
Grinity
