The Truth About Making Friends: It’s Okay to be Shy

Jordan Hudock
Jul 23, 2017 · 2 min read

It was a great relief to me when I realized that making friends isn’t as much about cleverness as it is about consistency.

I used to get super bogged down by what I said, and how I was saying it, and who I was saying it to (and admittedly, I often still do). But the more I’m around people all the time for work and school, the clearer it is that conversation overthinking is basically 100% unnecessary.

It’s important to be respectful and kind and all of those other social and faith-based essentials, sure. But after that, there’s a lot of free territory to be boring, say too much, too little, talk too loud, too soft, and so on, and none of it will really affect you becoming friends with others. It just won’t.

I’m a quiet person by nature, so sometimes I’ll be able to go up to someone and be talkative and energetic, while other times, I’m barely able to look people in the eyes correctly. And it’s important to realize that stuff like that doesn’t matter a whole bunch.

It’s not whether you say hi to that person who’s super cool with your head up and your shoulders back the one time. It’s whether you say hi at all the second and third and fourth times. It’s whether you remember their name, and stop them in the hallway, and go up to talk to them for quick moment to say ‘Hey! How’s it going?’

People are pretty much all scared of other people to some extent — at least, all of the coolest people I know are. And the best way to make other people feel comfortable is to continue to be friendly with them regardless of how the first, second, or third impression was.

So go out there and be kind and shy and brave. You’ll make a ton of people super happy you did.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

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Visit me at WishILearned.com! Designed this site to help student life be brighter, cozier, and more productive for you.

Written by

Writer of blog. Supplier of hugs. Maker of enough mistakes to make a site about how to avoid them. Happy 20 year old. | Visit me at: WishILearned.com! :)

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