This is long resolved. I'm casual friends with that guy, he's just an awkward, nervous person
Reflecting on this thread is interesting.
It shows me how far I've come from how I was in May 2019.
Eventually this led me to being a shell of a person, a people pleaser who was programmed to only exist for other people. I started to go to these open mics and become part of the culture.
In terms of "reading people", I still do it. It's a natural talent that I have whether I was born with it or it developed out of trauma I can't say. What I do know is now, instead of using it to try to speculate about what's going on in other people's head, I use it to be truly in tune with what someone is saying. I react empathetically to my friends and make people feel truly heard, but only if that's how I feel. I express my feelings instead of what I think others want from me, and I can do so while still acknowledging what they feel.
I'm not perfect. I'll never be. I'm just me, and I'm always a better me than I was yesterday.
I feel a lot of compassion for past me reading this. I was in a dark place and I don't even really remember what it felt like. I was terrified of slipping back into this state of mind for a really long time,
Now I know better, so I can't go back.
This is pretty much it for me. I try not to assume things about people, still do sometimes, but sticking to what is explicitly expressed is solid ground. I try to ask questions too so I'm not shadowboxing a version of the person who isn't there. Not really perfect at it but straightforward is the best way to deal with people imo.Personally I take people at their word until they give me a reason not to, but I'm not shy about pointing out when something doesn't sound right (making me 'blunt' in certain situations).
try to find something for the soul and maybe you will find people.I'm extremely well at reading people. Mostly because of my traumatic childhood.
Every so often I encounter someone who I am just completely unable to read and it drives me nuts.
From your own experience, what are the reasons that make these types of people unreadable? There is like a buffer. it's hard to explain.
Y'all know what I mean?
I've found my people! Thanks. Case closed this thread is resolvedtry to find something for the soul and maybe you will find people.