None of us feels 100% comfortable in every social situation. Most of us have to work at it. When I was a teenager, I used to practise aloud what I might say at a party or to a boy on the phone. It made me feel more prepared and ultimately more comfortable. What wasn't comfortable were the elastics wound tightly around my braces or the jeans so obscenely snug I had to zip them up with a wire coat hanger—my spleen still quivers at the memory.
Now, as a full-on grown-up (on the outside anyway), I'm fairly comfortable at most events. This doesn't mean I'm at all "cool." Oh no. Just the opposite. Name any outing and I can probably rattle off a list of awkward moments orchestrated by yours truly, from forgetting someone's name, to getting locked in a bathroom stall, to falling off a stage, I've done it. Years ago I would have been mortified. But not now. I figure life is too short to put much stock in what other people—especially strangers—think of me.
For those who fear saying or doing something dumb in a group setting—don't worry about it. We all fall on our faces at some point—some of us literally—and it's okay. We get back up, laugh, look for an ice pack, and move on.
The world won't end if you call a new acquaintance Brenda when her name is actually Barbara. Brenda, er Barbara, will get over it. Make a joke to soften the blow to her ego. Say, "Sorry Barbara. Listen, my name is Lisa, but feel to call me Lucy for the rest of the night." Tension broken. Booyah.
There's been a lot of chatter online about how intimidating it can be to meet the "cool" moms. What makes them cool? Their clothes, their confidence, their success? Who knows?
What I DO know is that there is really no such thing. Cool? Pfft.
If you're kind and friendly and real with a welcoming smile and a laugh on the ready, you're the coolest. Rather, the warmest. And that's cool. So say it with me, WARM IS THE NEW COOL!
See you at the next event! I can't wait to meet you. I'll be the one grinning (likely with spinach between my teeth), enjoying talking with you and basking in your warmness.
~ Lisa :)
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