[Some Kind of Blue]

Well, first things first... I'm very awkward. Not around my friends (or even my online friends) but when forced into random situations that involve talking to people that I didn't expect to happen, I'm more awkward than... Napoleon Dynamite trying to do the whole dance to "Teach Me How to Dougie."

For example...

I was visiting one of the cheesy local tourist attractions. There was a milkshake place, so I went to order one.

Lady: (out of the blue) "Can I help you?"
Me: *pauses for 5 seconds* Umm....... Yes.
Lady: *blank stare* "And what can I help you with?"
Me: "A milkshake. I mean- yes. I'd like a milkshake."
Lady: "What flavor?"
Me: *looks* "Where's the thingy? OH- peanut butter chocolate."
Lady: *laughs* "That'll be $4.50-"
Me: "WAIT! I was looking at the incorrect... thing. But I still would like that flavor."
Lady: ...
Me: *hands five dollars, gets change, awkwardly walks away*

Also, when this random guy said "What's up?" to me in the hallways, I couldn't think of what to say, so I just stood there and said ".......school."

.....

Did you become less awkward as you got older? Any tips on being a little less awkward?

 

[chittychitty LightNING]

I think I thoroughly enjoyed your post. If those are direct quotes, you incidentally have a very charming awkwardness that is hard to come by. My awkwardness is silence in conversation, with the occasional monotone bland response. I need to introduce rainbows into my attitude and behavior. Damn it teach me !

 

[kagemitsu]

I can relate. Are you sure you're not INFP? lol

 

[starri]

Hmm, interesting. Is there something in your life right now that is causing you to feel low self esteem?

 

[Some Kind of Blue]

Hmm, interesting. Is there something in your life right now that is causing you to feel low self esteem?

I don't have a low self-esteem... I'm just naturally awkward xD

 

[starri]

Are you an only child? You isolate yourself a lot to study or whatever? Maybe you just need practice?

 

[Some Kind of Blue]

Are you an only child? You isolate yourself a lot to study or whatever? Maybe you just need practice?

I'm not an only child, but I study alone. Idk.

 

[StaggerLee]

It's weird, when talking to strangers there are certain factor that somehow make me unable to concentrate on the situation, making me stutter or forget what to say.

-I need, whenever I'm about to start a conversation with a stranger, any stranger, to be at a certain distance from then, so I can lean towards them. It's really weird, but I HAVE to be able to lean in or out a conversation. :b

-Seeing the other person hands. I don't know, I think I'm paranoid. But when I can see their hands I can read their minds.

-I hate to talk loud. So I almost don't talk to people across the room. Unless the silly switch is on or I'm in my comfort zone.

-Eye contact makes me confident.

-I can't have real conversations when I'm supposed to be the submissive one. Like with my boss. Maybe it's related with the enneagram. I don't know much about it.

-Wine makes me comfortable, cigarettes makes me more confident, but cognac for some weird reason makes me self conscious of my drunkenness.

I over analyze myself. And god, maybe I have some kind of OCD.

 

[iemanja]

Yes, I'm actually very awkward. Although everyone agrees I'm extroverted, it doesn't mean I'm not awkward.
That milkshake place thing that happened to you is a situation I've found myself in lots of times because I'm quite absent minded, don't pay attention to details and am often in a dream world so get into awkward situations by doing something stupid. So for me it isn't really that I'm socially challenged but more like I'm too busy daydreaming about something.
Another situation is if I'm with a guy I really really really like, such as my INTJ ex. I get nervous and say silly things. Luckily he's equally weird, wonderful and awkward so he doesn't mind.
What happens when I'm in an awkward situation is that I stumble through nervously but thanks to my ENFP charm, it comes across as cute or endearingly weird to most people (but I have a feeling Sensors just think I'm silly haha).

 

[voicetrocity]

The example you provided was AMAZING- I've had similar things happen to me before; and I have to say; it's a kind of "cute" awkwardness that most won't judge you for. I wish I could tell you that I've grown out of those kind of situations, but they still happen to me (and I'm on the fast track to 30). I will say, that I've gotten better at rebounding from those situations; I'll say something witty, laugh at myself and then leave it at that.

You're not alone! Be confident and learn to own that fantastic part of your personality.

 

[chimeric]

The example you provided was AMAZING- I've had similar things happen to me before; and I have to say; it's a kind of "cute" awkwardness that most won't judge you for. I wish I could tell you that I've grown out of those kind of situations, but they still happen to me (and I'm on the fast track to 30). I will say, that I've gotten better at rebounding from those situations; I'll say something witty, laugh at myself and then leave it at that.

You're not alone! Be confident and learn to own that fantastic part of your personality.

Yep.

I'm still awkward. The difference is that I laugh at it now where I used to worry about it. I think it has something to do with being in my head a lot. If my mind is skipping around on another planet and someone suddenly interjects and sucks me back to planet Earth, it takes a minute or two to adjust.

 

[Finaille]

Bwahahaha that post described me to a T so you are definitely not alone!!!

 

[liza_200]

I can VERY well relate to this. I'm clumsy, which makes the situation awkward. @Some Kind of Blue- the example, which you've given here, I behave like that very often. Especially the first example, then I also try to cope up with the situation by behaving formally, which makes me feel more awkward.
Edit -An example might help:

Scene- *ice-cream shop*

me- I would like to have an apple grape jelly ice-cream please.
ice-cream seller- okay.
me- thanks.
ice-cream- payment?
Instead of paying, I abstractly said:
'why..??'
(fortunately, I clearly remember I was engrossed in thinking something else)
And everyone was staring at me with a shocking look. And to manage the situation, I said:
'oops, sorry, that was my slip of tongue. Here it is.'

I know, I've made it up, but if I told them the truth, then the others would've probably laughed at me and called me insane (as it is, my 'friends' already call me so).

 

[MuChApArAdOx]

I don't have a low self-esteem... I'm just naturally awkward xD

Low self esteem, no, i don't think feeling uncomfortable being in the spotlight somehow has anything to do with that. I know what you mean about having to come up with something to say on the spot, i dislike being put on the spot. Now if it is directed towards other people, no problem, i can come up with anything whether that be witty, sarcastic, funny, or kind and enjoyable.

And about the question, i don't think it gets better ;p....i find myself in lots of situations that make me feel like this. For example at work, if my co-workers make a big deal over something i did, or accomplished, it makes me feel out of place, or awkward. I don't like direct compliments. I'm not sure if its because i feel like i have to respond, or how i'm suppose to respond. I usually say, ah thanks ( although i don't expand on it as i want to shift that focus somewhere else ) It makes me really uncomfortable talking about me, mostly because i already know my abilities, so i don't need people to make my accomplishments known to me even if its done out of kindness. I don't know if that makes sense or not. Now with family and friends i will react differently. I would probably say " yeah, i know i'm awesome..heh, but i wouldn't let my ego do that with co-workers.

 

[There Is No Spoon]

It's weird, when talking to strangers there are certain factor that somehow make me unable to concentrate on the situation, making me stutter or forget what to say.

-I need, whenever I'm about to start a conversation with a stranger, any stranger, to be at a certain distance from then, so I can lean towards them. It's really weird, but I HAVE to be able to lean in or out a conversation. :b

-Seeing the other person hands. I don't know, I think I'm paranoid. But when I can see their hands I can read their minds.

-I hate to talk loud. So I almost don't talk to people across the room. Unless the silly switch is on or I'm in my comfort zone.

-Eye contact makes me confident.

-I can't have real conversations when I'm supposed to be the submissive one. Like with my boss. Maybe it's related with the enneagram. I don't know much about it.

-Wine makes me comfortable, cigarettes makes me more confident, but cognac for some weird reason makes me self conscious of my drunkenness.

I over analyze myself. And god, maybe I have some kind of OCD.

Most of those things are control issues manifested in body language.
Leaning in or out is a form of control and psychologically a way to "escape" from the conversation if things get to hot. Palms forward mean openness and someone hiding their hands can indicate they're hiding something. The boss thing is a power issue like you said. You make yourself inferior to him/her in your mind and you think it is not possible to have a level conversation with each other. That you must somehow be "down the ladder" when talking to them.

This is just your personality The fact you recognize it is awesome. When you recognize what triggers certain feelings or behavior you're much closer to improving yourself. IF YOU WANT TO. But you sound just fine to me. Every person has their idiosyncrasies.

As for the over analyzing, a ton of people do that. Especially ENFP's. I've learned not to. It's about appreciating the world for what it is and staying out of your head. The book that helped trasform my life was "The Power of Now" i highly recommend it. Pm me and i can email you it.

 

[StaggerLee]

Most of those things are control issues manifested in body language.
Leaning in or out is a form of control and psychologically a way to "escape" from the conversation if things get to hot. Palms forward mean openness and someone hiding their hands can indicate they're hiding something. The boss thing is a power issue like you said. You make yourself inferior to him/her in your mind and you think it is not possible to have a level conversation with each other. That you must somehow be "down the ladder" when talking to them.

This is just your personality The fact you recognize it is awesome. When you recognize what triggers certain feelings or behavior you're much closer to improving yourself. IF YOU WANT TO. But you sound just fine to me. Every person has their idiosyncrasies.

As for the over analyzing, a ton of people do that. Especially ENFP's. I've learned not to. It's about appreciating the world for what it is and staying out of your head. The book that helped trasform my life was "The Power of Now" i highly recommend it. Pm me and i can email you it.

You nailed it, man. It's really about control and it's something I have to work on. It's not good to feel insecure just because you're not "in control" of a situation.

 

[SenhorFrio]

Still awkward around new people and it does take me a while to warm up to people so i guess it's normal to an extent atleast

 

[WMDistraction]

Until a few years ago, I used to be very awkward around strangers. I couldn't give you any specific ways to overcome that awkwardness as it was a somewhat sudden process, but I guess one thing I could say is to just throw yourself into front-and-center situations. I started "coming out of my shell," so-to-speak, when I decided to do a crap ton of various leadership positions and performances. I just decided that I wanted to do these things (perform leads in musicals, solo in jazz band/combo, drum major, president of orchestra/drama club), and they force you to become more social instantly.

 

[Zster]

I don't know if, with age, we actually get less awkward, stop caring so much what others think, or just decide to embrace our natural selves more and go with it. I am sure that I still seem awkward to some, and once in awhile it bothers me. However, most of the time now days, I am just me. People have to roll with it, or get out of my way.

I used to be mega awkward, by the way, especially in highschool, FWIW.

 

[cue5c]

Embrace the awkwardness!

Acknowledge it, make yourself the joke so that people feel comfortable and at ease around you. It sounds strange to almost belittle yourself, but if you're confident enough to know that everybody is weird in some way or another, I'd go for it. Humor is the easiest way to a person's heart, after all.