Having people skills is a good thing. Having too strong of people skills can be a very bad thing.
- You know a lot of people. Your friends hate going places with you because you get stuck talking to everyone!
- Everyone thinks they're your best friend. Because you treat people well and are genuinely happy to see them, they think that you're best friends. It is wonderful knowing that people appreciate and connect with you, but can get pretty exhausting.
- Guys always get the, er, wrong idea. There is a difference between friendly and flirty, people. Trust me, if I was flirting, you'd know it: not because I'd be so incredibly #smooth, but because I'd be so painfully awkward. I love spending time with my guy friends, but I always have to reassure friends who see us that there's nothing going on. Mix a talkative, loud personality with unlimited sass, and it's no wonder that people get the wrong idea.
- You're going to have some haters. Let's face it: we can be super obnoxious. Our constant energy can turn people off. Not everyone can handle your intense personality, which is fine; everyone is entitled to their own opinion, after all. However, we tend to place too much value in being accepted by others, so when we do find out that someone dislikes us, it kills us more than it should. In any case, there's not one person on earth who is liked by everyone they meet; with us, we just see more of it because we're more visible.
- People think you're fake. Because you are so nice to everyone, it can seem like you're kissing up to them to win their favor. However, once they get to know you, they know that you're genuinely happy to be around them! It does take some time, though, for people to identify your sincerity.
- You assume that those who aren't friendly are mean. It's so natural for you to be extremely friendly and outgoing to everyone; you often forget that many people are more reserved. The only time you aren't super friendly to people is when you aren't super happy to see them, and you subconsciously assume that everyone else operates the same way. This means that when you meet someone who is by nature less initially warm and talkative, you think that their lack of friendliness equates to dislike for you. Some of my closest friends are people who I thought did not like me for the longest time; I mistook their quiet personalities for them hating me! It's a valuable lesson to learn: you can't assume that everyone is just like you are.
- If you're having an off-day, everyone asks what's wrong. You're expected to be upbeat and cheery all the time. If you're upset about something, you can't hide it because people pick up on the change. Even you're simply tired or feeling ill, people think something's the matter.
- You forget/mix up names. You meet so many people on a daily basis and normally are pretty good at remembering who they are. However, there are always those two people who look alike, who you met under similar circumstances, and you have difficulty keeping them straight. I have plenty of embarrassing stories about mixing peoples' names up; ask any of my friends, they've heard me reiterate each detail dozens of times.
- You have friends in multiple groups. I touched on this in a previous">https://www.theodysseyonline.com/when-cliques-just... article. When you know a lot of people, you become friends with a lot of people. It's hard to stay confined to just one group of friends when you know so many amazing people in multiple groups. After all, it gets boring when you only surround yourself with people exactly like you. Life is certainly more colorful when enriched by a wide variety of people.
- You do well in the workforce. People skills are just as valuable than technical skills. I've heard it countless times from professors, job interview prep sessions, and recruiters' articles. If you look great on paper, but can't hold a conversation well, employers may be more hesitant to hire you because communication is crucial to any and every profession. Luckily, we have no difficulty relating to people and making them feel comfortable, which in turn helps us ease our nerves in various situations of this nature.
- You make people feel loved. This is perhaps the most important aspect to me. Honestly: I have trouble accepting my personality. The negative attributes mentioned here often have outweighed the good ones, in my mind. There have been many days I've wished that I could change my personality. But then, someone comes along and thanks me for my encouraging attitude. They tell me how my happy attitude brightens their day. They unknowingly relay God's answer to my prayers questioning why He made me this way. We aren't put here to be the most popular or loved by others; we are put here to show the love of Jesus and tell the world about His grace.
Every personality has good and bad aspects that can both be redeemed by God. While I may occasionally dislike how talkative I am, I rejoice knowing that God has wired me in a such a way that I am able to show His love to others clearly. My fellow social butterflies, if you ever feel ashamed or embarrassed of your personality, be thankful that God has made you exactly as you are so that you can reach people for Him.
