I feel like I am getting into a groove when it comes to meeting acquaintances now.

Almost every time I meet someone, I gain eye contact, say good morning or hello or whatever

is appropriate for the person and situation and then I go with the flow. Sometimes that is all

that is appropriate, or either myself or other person is in the mood for, and sometimes they will

start to talk to me or I feel I wish to talk to them more and I do so. I am definitely deciding to

take more "risks" and the pay offs are good. I feel good about myself, that I am living the way I

wish to and I am developing better relationships with many more people.

Co workers: I am using techniques that I picked up from  self help books and the support group

I attended for a long time, and I am conversing for long periods of time with my co workers.

The techniques I use to converse and that work for me are: eye contact, careful listening to

their words and body movements to cues as to what to say next or to judge the kind of impact I

am having. Asking them questions about what they had shared or what I know about them.

Bringing up something about myself and then asking about if they have had similar experiences.

I am learning so much from practicing conversing with my co workers even though they do not

know this is what I am doing.

Negative experiences: I have had one bad experience and some uncomfortable experiences.

First of all last Friday a three year old child that lives in the community where I work threw a

rake and a hot wheels car at me when I asked him to leave my childcare children alone.

His mom was twenty five feet away at the time. I called her over and told her to take him some

where else because he was not behaving. Well on Tuesday morning she went out to my

supervisor and told her that I had pushed her child and called him stupid. Well, not only was

I terrible embarrassed that my supervisor had to hear this lie about me but I was very angry

that a stranger would lie like that about me!!

Well since my supervisor told me she knows it is not true I chalk the whole thing up as a 

 learning experience and will be extra careful with community members from now on.

 Secondly when an acquaintance does not speak to me or have time to talk I am trying to

not take it so seriously or personally anymore and let it go.

 I hope everyone is having a nice  day!!