BOURGEOIS, Louise
Instruction (2002)
- When you are walking, stop and smile at a stranger.
As a person who is awkwardly social, this instruction presented a challenge for me. So I decided to go with it and try something I never do; smile to strangers.
Feb 14, I start the challenge my smiling to every person I see on my way to class. Most of the time I get ignored, and sometimes I get a smile back, which is nice (being handsome has its own benefits). The most interesting experience was when I was working out at the gym and then walked to the water fountain. I saw a tall buffed guy and then smile at him, instead of giving me the weird look, ignoring me or smiling back. He just approaches me and asks me if I knew him. I said he looked familiar and ask for his name, then we start a small talk and then continue with our work out.
Feb 15, I stayed in my Batcave playing videogames.
Feb 16, Me and a friend planned boys night, he invited people I didn’t know. So I tried the instructions in a “controlled” environment. So when the guests arrived I smile at then; they approach me and ask for my name and home country. Then we start hanging out and having a good time.
My experience: surprisingly manage to overcome my fear really fast. I always think about what would be the worst thing that could happen. But in the end, it was a normal experience, not good, not bad, just normal.
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