#like this GROWN ASS middle aged MAN cannot do public speaking over a loudspeaker so he asked ME to do it

[oflgtfol]

it is so utterly insane to me the way i've had this like fundamental shift in my personality since i started therapy, started medication, and graduated college. i used to be so shy and quiet and awkward. it used to take me years of everyday interaction to begin to feel any sense of real friendship with anyone, and the idea of public speaking or small talk with strangers etc was enough to have me trembling and shaking

and now like. i'm doing public speaking. i'm doing small talk with strangers. at michaels i'm actually having conversations with customers whenever the mood hits because i like actually enjoy talking to people now? even if it's just small talk it's just nice to like, have a nice friendly conversation? if i need to confront someone now, for whatever reason, whether it's to ask a question or to politely ask them not to do something, nowadays i can actually do it, instead of being the living epitome of the coward end of the "he asked for no pickles" meme. now I'M the person saying "he asked for no pickles." i'm the one that my more shy coworkers turn to when the time comes. I'M the person being shoved at the shy coworkers to chat them up and get them to be more outgoing. I'M the one guiding the conversation asking questions and keeping people talking trying to get them to open up. literally never imagined myself like this

#fucking. when i was working at michaels on christmas eve i was there with two managers and a cashier #my fucking STORE MANAGER told ME to make the closing announcement - which we normally dont do but we were #doing it then since it was christmas eve and we were closing 3 hours early #like this GROWN ASS middle aged MAN cannot do public speaking over a loudspeaker so he asked ME to do it #AND I DID IT !!! #like in WHAT world am i the one being tasked with these things? and actually doing well with them? #or at my other job we have a high schooler who's like very. introverted i guess? #she isn't shy like once i talk to her she doesnt have any noticeable signs of discomfort when talking #it's just that like she very rarely initiates conversation #so i'm always the one being like hi so how was your week !! how's school going !! how's your college applications !! #talking to her and shit like I'M the one now responsible for chatting up the shy quiet coworkers #just a year or two ago /I/ was the shy quiet coworker who didnt speak unless spoken to #brot posts #delete soon #anywayz i was telling my therapist about this change in my personality and i literally used the no pickles meme as an analogy #unfortunately she has never seen that meme so it fell flat. LMAO