I’ll Just Pop In And Out.

“I’ll just pop in and out.”

It’s a typical day. You’re running low on milk and bread, so you decide to make a quick trip to the corner store. You throw on some old clothes and head out the door.

As you’re walking, you bump into someone. You look up and see that it’s someone you know from a long time ago. It could be an old classmate, a former coworker, or even a distant cousin.

You’re both surprised to see each other, and you start to chat. You catch up on what’s been going on in your lives.

But then you start to feel self-conscious. You’re wearing your old clothes, and you don’t look your best. You start to wonder what the other person is thinking.

Maybe they’re thinking that you’ve fallen on hard times. Maybe they’re thinking that you’re lazy or unkempt.

Whatever they’re thinking, it’s making you feel uncomfortable. You just want to get out of there.

But you can’t just be rude and walk away. You have to be polite and finish the conversation.

So you stand there, feeling awkward and self-conscious. You try to make small talk, but it’s forced. You can’t wait to leave.

Finally, the other person says they have to go. You say goodbye, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

You hurry to the corner store and buy your milk and bread. Then you head home, feeling relieved that the encounter is over.

But as you’re walking home, you can’t help but think about it. You wonder what the other person really thought of you. So much for “I’ll just pop in and out”!

You know that you shouldn’t let it bother you. You’re not defined by your clothes. But it’s still hard not to feel embarrassed.

Here are a few tips for dealing with a situation like this:

• Don’t be afraid to say hello. Even if you’re feeling self-conscious, it’s important to be polite.
• Smile and maintain eye contact. If you do this, you’re letting the person know that you’re confident and you’re not defined by your appearance at that moment. Everyone dresses down from time to time!
• Don’t dwell on your appearance. The other person is probably more interested in catching up than in judging your clothes.
• Remember that everyone has bad days. Don’t let one awkward encounter ruin your day.

Better still, if you know you don’t want to have this awkward experience, even if you think, “I’ll just pop in and out”, try to put on clothes that will make you feel comfortable incase of any eventuality.