
My Place In This World & Coping with Social Situations!
April 6, 2010I was reminded recently of a Michael W. Smith song called “My Place in This World”. That song has always touched my heart…for I have always struggled to feel as if I really fit in anywhere.
As a daughter of the Most High G-d, I am secure as to my place in my heavenly Abba/Father’s kingdom…of my place in the spiritual realm. Yet…even with that security, there are times when I feel so disconnected from everyone and everything that I even experience some doubts about that. Thankfully, I do regain my perspective and the doubts do pass.
When it comes to this world, though, to the people around me…I rarely feel as if I belong. I almost always feel out of place…as if I am on the outside looking in.
In The Cost of Reality, I share how I used to feel almost all the time. For a huge part of my life I rarely, ever felt comfortable or a real part of a group. I hated going any place where there were a lot of people I did not know. I was almost panic-stricken the first day of school every year. I was that way with any new place or any new event.
Now I only feel the intensity of it if I get a particular program triggered. However, that does not mean that I feel comfortable around people and social events. I do…but I don’t. I have had to learn how to work my way around these kinds of things. Otherwise, I would be totally isolated.
One thing I do is try to get to events early. When I get there I try to connect with someone who is a part of the event and even offer to help in some way if I am up to it. If nothing else, I learn my way around and help to welcome others that come. By being one of the first ones there, I sort of make myself a part of what is going on. That does not solve it all, but it does make it a whole lot easier.
If I show up after a whole bunch of people are there…I feel lost. Unless I come with another person, or plan to meet another person there, I will typically feel very uncomfortable. I will be uncertain where to sit…wondering if I am intruding upon some group of friends. I am very aware of cliques. It seems like, in so many places, you have families and friends who have known one another for a long time. Where do I fit into that?
So…another thing I do is look for someone else who seems to be alone. The other person is usually grateful that I did and we end up having a rather enjoyable time together. I may never see that person again…but for those few hours we enjoyed one another’s company. I have had many good laughs at tables where none of us women knew anyone else at the table.
I also try to smile a lot at people…just to see how they respond. They ones who light up at my smile, I keep an eye on. If it seems like they are open, I will walk up and talk to them…and find out if they are alone or not. That helps, too.
Sometimes, I just have to focus on what is going on and go through it. If programming is triggered, that is when it is the worst. I just have to accept that I am not in a frame of mind where I can truly trust anyone. I just need to smile, be pleasant and get through it.
Sometimes I experience an impending sense of doom that I cannot connect to any person or place or event. It is just a feeling I walk around with. That, too, makes it difficult in social situations. I keep wondering if I have somehow blown it…somehow said or done something wrong. I have learned that I just have to ride it out if I cannot find a legitimate reason for it.
So, I have all sorts of struggles with social settings…unless I am in the midst of giving it. Yet…I can speak and sing without too much difficulty. Or at least I once could. It has been a long time since I have done it. In fact, since I started realizing the truth about my history and my makeup I have not really pursued it. There is a difference between being up in front of a group and being down within the group. I had a therapist who was the same way. She could teach a class…no problem. But as a student…she was actually rather shy. It is a matter of being in my element.
Posted in being stretched, fragility, hindrances, impending sense of something, life, life lessons, moving forward, obstacles, old messages, personal, positive steps, programming, progress, PTSD, pushing through, reflections, SRA, survivors, thoughts, triggers | Tagged being stretched, discomfort, discomfort in social situations, freedom, growth, healing, hindrances, impending sense of doom, interactions with others, life, life lessons, moving forward, obstacles, old messages, personal, positive steps, programming, progress, PTSD, reflections, SRA, struggles, survivors, thoughts, triggers |
I know how awkward it is to walk into new situations, especially if it is a totally new place or event. I will sit near the door by myelf if there will be noone I know there. Most things aren’t completly new. I rarely go to the mall and go to the store at times I know it is likely not to be busy. No grocery shopping on Saturday! I don’t even think about being uncomfortable at the usual places like church or my neighborhood grocery store. But I started a new job and later this month I will go to a educational conference. I’m pretty well settled in at the new job but don’t look forward to the conference. Enough new places for a while yet.
I really have to prepare myself for new places and things. Yet…sometimes…I am totally confident. It depends upon what frame of mind I am in…and that is something I can never count upon.