tensionheadache wrote:
I have this problem but I think for me it is mainly anxiety related. a fear that what sounds good in my head will not sound good out loud, or that what I say will offend someone or start an argument or make people laugh at me or think I am dumb. this problem is mainly in expressing my opinions of things. often it is because I don't have an opinion, but I also don't like to say that I like something or don't like something in case someone disagrees with me and makes me feel like I am wrong. I know that I probably don't have anything to worry about most of the time but the fear still stops me. often I will think of an excellent topic and word it out perfectly and then when it is time to say it, I just won't. I also simply have problems talking about things I am not interested in, so most conversations fizzle out after a couple of sentences.
This, when I am meeting someone for the first time who I do want to make a decent impression on. Usually, this is someone who is important to a friend of mine--for example, last week I met the new girlfriend of one of my male friends. For his sake mainly, I didn't want to come off looking like a jerk who talks too much or says the wrong thing.
I actually texted him later and said "I hope I didn't say too much/the wrong thing" because with his last girlfriend, it was instant dislike on her part (not due to jealousy, btw--he's like my brother). Granted, she turned out to be...nuts, but still....He told me "You did great" which was a huge relief.
_________________
The existence of the leader who is wise
is barely known to those he leads.
He acts without unnecessary speech,
so that the people say,
'It happened of its own accord.' -Tao Te Ching, Verse 17