Hi Guys,
From now on in this topic if it's alright I 'll post my day report in getting rid of my AA.
Today, first day, I gave myself the task to approach 3 HB's on street and, introduce myself and saying that because I am a bit shy I am doing a little talk each day to some people on street for execersise.
I was very nervous.
The first approach already was quite 'ouch!' (mentally I mean)
ME: Hi
HB: Hi
ME: What 's your name?
HB: Why?
ME: My name is [my name] (reaching my hand to her to shake hands)
HB: Walks away immidiatly with a face as if I was a fool who did something very offending.
ME: I felt very ashamed and felt (while she walked away from me) the need to stop her and explain her, but I didn't and tried to walk away with my head held-up.
The second approach:
ME: Hi
HB: Hi
ME: What 's your name?
HB: Why? (again)
ME: ME: My name is [my name] (reaching my hand to her to shake hands)
We shaked hands
ME: Because I am a bit shy I am doing a little talk each day to some people on street for execersise. (something like)
HB: (after looking confused and being quite for a while) ok, but I have to walk on.
ME: Ok, I understand. Bye.
In my third approach I chosed (because of that repeating 'Why' respond) to change my way of introducing a little by after saying hi reaching my hand immidiatly i.s.o. asking her name first:
ME: Hi
HB: Hi
ME: My name is [my name] (reaching my hand to her to shake hands)
We shaked hands, but HB didn't tell her name.
ME: What 's your name? (with friendly tone/face)
(Don't know anymore she told her name)
ME: Because I am a bit shy...(blablabla)
HB: (friendly surprised) OK.....(silence)
(I saw she felt quite unconfortable, so I chosed to stop the conversation)
ME: Well, doing this was already a great victory for me, thank you for that. (smile)
HB: Laughing
ME: Bye
Because I was so nervous, I couldn't (especially in the last approach) remember all from what she and I said. (Couldn't even remember if the last HB told her name when I asked specially to it when she didn't gave it while hand shaking)
Strange, on one hand I feel very ashamed about it, like I was (we say in Holland) the 'village idiot', and if it was very wrong what I did.
But on the other hand I feel proud and got an enormous boost of self-confidence.
You recocgines this dubbel-side feeling guys?
I just got from blankfile154 some video-links on youtube about getting rid of AA. I'm curious.
Congratulations on approaching. This is half the battle. Your initial approaches will suck, there is no way round that, just concentrate on doing it again and again. I certainly know the conflicting feelings you mention.
I'm doing this also at the moment, you might be encouraged to know you get comfortable with it quite quickly and your nervousness often just goes.
I'm surprised no one else mentioned this but "What is your name?" is pure AFC talk. This isn't a job interview, and unless delivered correctly it telegraphs neediness. Ask her something that might possibly interest her. Or something funny. Or just anything which isn't banal. There are lots of openers listed on this site.