Existential Psychology

Worried About Making A Good Impression

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Most people, when entering into new social situations, are really worried about making a good impression when what they should be worried about is being themselves. From the group development standpoint trying to make a good impression is pseudo-community, it’s putting up a false front that hinders rather than helps authentic human connection since what’s being presented is a mask, a mask that observant bystanders are sure to see through before long.

When you’re worried about making a good impression you can’t be present and you can’t be spontaneous, which is why you’ll probably end up making a worse impression than you would if you just relaxed and let people see who you really are.

The reality is that if you choose to be yourself, with your own opinions and values rather than those that are most popular and digestible, some people are going to like you and some people aren’t going to like you. But at least the ones who do like you will like the real you rather than some facsimile of you that you won’t be able to keep up for long anyway.

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