Part of learning how to get over my social anxiety was learning that conversations with strangers could be playful, fun and deeply fulfilling at the same time if I was willing to reject some social norms and shift to topics that brought a deeper narrative, such as the ones I asked the first gent.
Browsing: social anxiety
What if solo dining could be a source of confidence and personal growth? Eating alone is something to embrace, not avoid.
The last possibility is probably the worst, and that’s not saying or doing anything. Suddenly there’s a suitcase packed with what-ifs, and that kind of regret isn’t something anybody wants. It hurts more looking back and wondering what might have been if I were to say something and risk entering my name into the transfer portal if things went south.