Jessica, an introvert, shares her experience of overcoming her fear of talking to strangers with the help of a psychotherapist. She pushes herself to approach strangers in unfamiliar locations and ask a dumb question about the queen of England. Jessica's journey of stepping out of her comfort zone and engaging in conversations with strangers is explored, along with the insights of Nick, a professor of behavioral science, who challenges the belief that connecting with strangers is awkward.
Jessica Pan hated social gatherings - she cried when her friends threw her a surprise birthday party, and was even too scared to give a speech at her own wedding. Jessica was a hardcore introvert - and it was making her sad.
Extroverts find it easier to experience the joy that comes with social interactions - but that doesn't mean introverts are doomed to lives that lack such fun. Jessica read some research that suggested introverts can learn to enjoy being more outgoing - so decided to turn her social life around.
You can read more of Jessica's story in her book: Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes. She is posting updates from her year of extroverting at her Substack, "It'll Be Fun, They Said" (https://jesspan.substack.com/).
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