Very outgoing and friendly here I have a meet a stranger a day view on that and usually do so, meeting people I am sure not shy there ANY.
That's hard to say...others would rate my friendliness different than my self-evaluation. I am neither a Captain Stottlemeyer nor an Adrian Monk. But on the other hand, you have four fingers and a thumb... Harry
That is me too. When younger I was very shy. Some took that as aloofness and I lost many friends because of it. Now in my older years I try to be more open.
Very relatable Craig! I was also very shy when I was younger, but I too realized it was distancing me from the people around me
I also was shy younger but I literally changed in 1-2 days. I went a total about face 110% and have never looked back one of the better things I have ever done. Now probably to blunt to others, I am a say what I thing and feel type and really like it, but I never had any issues meeting others, still don't. Bashful is something I am not,
Having been on both sides, there is nothing more "real" than walking away from an encounter and knowing you were not deceitful or evasive (regardless of the purported motive.) It's also a matter of respect to the other person when they are not left guessing. It feels "clean" to me.
When I meet someone I am always polite, but friendship, like respect, has to be earned, and when that happens, it's true.
"" It takes two to tango." Three of my neighbors (same floor) are very nice...one even -sometimes- invites me over for diner. The other two (also same floor) are the nasties people around. IAW, you can smile and dance but if the other person is timid, ill-educated or plain nasty your efforts will fall in a broken jar.
I don't know how friendly I am, I've never been tested. As I have aged I have become, I think, less so. I've always been a little stand offish, had to be to protect my secrets. More recently I moved from a friendly local to what seems to me to be a less friendly one. So, how friendly am I? I don't know.
Then pick another there are so many just like you and I wanting to meet a nice person, it will not happed with out trying that's for sure, make it happen, I met my best friend just asking "would it be possible to meet you?" in a parking lot. Very correct previous posting.
It is not a matter of "picking another" but of ignoring nasty people. I am a friendly person and erase from my mind whoever is nasty to me.
I have few really close friends; fewer as we age. I can strike up a conversation with anyone. But after school I found it harder to make true friends. I made a number of them through the common love of our horses. Lots of folks to say hi to, but not much else at this time.