I have not always been a football fan. There was a period in time when I lost my patience with Manchester United. In a time when I was listening to the game on the radio. A time when the pain of losing time after time was just something I could not take. So, I took a break. Let’s just say I was learning to be strong coz even in the last couple of years not that much has changed. We have still lost more times than I am comfortable with.
What does football have to do with showing yourself? You might ask. Let me explain. Let us say we are both strangers in conversation with one another. By this I mean, we have most probably shared an environment and never had a conversation. For instance, maybe we work together but we have never gotten the chance to have an off-work conversation. I believe if you have paid attention to me even without conversation you most probably will know I am a United fan. Therefore, starting a conversation with me will be pretty easy if you know the simplest thing about football.
Sometimes when I am meeting a fellow man for the first time. No pressure on anyone, most probably I will ask. Are you a fan of soccer? And yes, I understand that its not a must every man is a football fan. I have been that guy myself. But I found myself. Again, no pressure! But football will be an easy conversation starter for most men. And even as total strangers we instantly have something to talk about and sometimes even for hours.
Football aside, all I am saying is. If you want people to better connect with you. Give them something to work with. Show them something about you. Give them a clue of where to begin. You don’t have to be extremely passionate about something. But you have to have at least an interest in something. Let them identify you with something. It’s easier for them to connect with you that way. And it doesn’t always have to be something ‘cool’ like you are the greatest painter that the world has ever seen. Or the greatest musician. No, anything at all as long as it’s something you can have a conversation around. Something that you are really interested in.
Just look around yourself. The easiest people to talk to that you know is because you have an idea of what they like and they are most probably vocal about it. People that are not afraid to show the world who they are. Yes, there is the fear that the world might not find that which you like as interesting. They do not have to, they do not have to share in your hobbies. But at least they get to know you. Might even interest them to know what makes you love that one thing so much. That to me sounds like a conversation starter.
Sometimes you wonder why it is so easy for certain people to interact with people. Why do they find it so easy to interact with people? It’s most probably because they are not afraid to show who they are and people see this either as a turn-on, a challenge, or something they want to do. So associating with these kinds of people will help them become better versions of themselves. Or they simply admire the openness.
I believe what might stop you from showing yourself to people is maybe you doubt you are interesting enough. Or you are afraid of judgment. What people will say? But maybe that is what is stopping you from coming alive and creating better and stronger connections. Maybe you don’t have a problem after all, maybe people don’t connect with you because you haven’t given them something to work with. So, don’t be a coward. Someone said, show the world who you are and let the world adjust to it. I believed them. So should you!
