So I’m leaving my introverted space and I’m reengaging the world and the first thing that comes up is, “How should I be engaging my social scene?” I really dislike social obligation. You know, those conversations where you talk about the weather because it would be rude not to talk but you don’t think you want to invest a ton of energy in a novel conversation. So what do I do?
I think the first step is to start listening to people again. I mean really listen. When I do, I usually come up with some insightful question that leads to an interesting answer. For a little while I thought meditation was the only thing that mattered so I didn’t care, but the truth is that connecting with people is what matters. So if I can come up with a good question I’m bound to connect in a genuine way. Next, I need to care what the person has to say. I need to get out of my own head and invest some energy in the conversation. Deep down I know that everyone has an interesting story to share but sometimes it takes a little work to get there.
Finally, I need to be willing to share a little bit of myself. As an early meditator I felt very raw and vulnerable because it seemed like all of my negative qualities were coming to the surface. I had lost my identity and I was scared to share my weaknesses. Now that I’m a bit more confident, I should be willing to give a little piece of myself to these conversations. So while I’m still not interested in social obligation, socializing can be wonderfully interesting. Time to meditate.