We all do it, whether its a good looking guy or girl, a crazy person or just day dreaming, staring is a bad habit. Sometimes it’s innocent, a bright piece of clothing catches your eye. Someone laughing or joking and looking silly and your attention is pulled form what you are doing to someone in the room. Some people love attention and others don’t so it’s not good to make staring a habit so people don’t think you are invading their space. is So how do you know if you stare and how do you fix it.
I realized I had a staring problem when I was out one night and I couldn’t stop staring at a very intoxicated man who was dancing in very silly way and no matter how slick I tried to be, he could see me turning around to catch a glimpse. He in turn took this as me being interested… This is when I knew I needed to change.
It’s Not Your Fault
Different parts of the country have different values about making eye contact. Some people in larger cities just avoid eye contact because it’s to time consuming and there are too many people and sketchy situations. Smaller towns and friendlier climates welcome eye contact, so a brief smile can break the tension. Smiling and noticing others is not a bad thing, just be aware it may be perceived wrong.
Don’t Hold Your Gaze Longer Than 5 Seconds
This is a general rule for glancing at people. We are animals and bright colors, noises, something shiny may draw attention. So realize why you are staring. I love to people watch and it’s ok to do it, but shift that glance every few seconds and you’ll be all good. Scanning a room is important to see where your friends are or what’s going on, but only a few seconds is all that’s needed.
Get Occupied
As long as you are being productive in a task or talking to a friend it’s ok to to take a second to look around. Pick a task like checking your phone, texting a friend or get back into a conversation or else you may get caught holding that gaze.
Glance Away
If you do get caught staring, it’s probably by a stranger. They don’t know you or care. Some may smile or just not even notice, but the best thing to do is not make a habit of it. Think about all the time you spend wasting looking at others. Who are they really? They are not celebrities or anyone special to you. So making a habit of looking at people will could get in the way of a productive day.
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