How many of us have experienced this before? You're in the elevator with a few other people. One is scrolling through their phone, another staring at the doors waiting for them to open, the next frantically pressing the "Door Close" button after each floor, desperately trying to lessen the time spent on this agonizing elevator ride. Hell, I've been the "Door Close" guy many many times, but who can blame us? It's 8 in the morning and everyone knows they have the entire work day ahead of them, so no one's particularly happy. The last thing these people want to do is talk right?
WRONG!
Well, maybe not always wrong. There are people who legitimately dislike other people and despise any kind of human interaction. But who cares! That is certainly not what this blog is about.
I've noticed that just one observant, funny, or clever comment can alleviate all the tension that these elevator rides have to offer? The "Door Close" guy and his two other nervous buddies may seem completely anti social, but be the one to break the silence and they'll be all smiles. It doesn't have to be the greatest thing anyone has ever said ever. Just a simple "Man, it's cold out there" to break that silence will put everyone at ease. They start looking each other in the eye instead of at the wall; all of a sudden, everyone is not in so much of a rush to get out. Everyone will smile and when each person gets off the at their floor they will always say "Have a nice day" or some sort of farewell greeting.
Everybody (well, mostly everybody) inherently wants - nay, NEEDS to interact with other people. It's in our DNA, and when we are forced to cram into a confined space such as an elevator, this need is heightened. We crave the interactions and it's right there at our fingertips, but for some reason we are terrified. Self doubt kicks in and we put this immense pressure on ourselves to have the first thing we say be the funniest or most profound thing anyone has ever said. We then become even more antsy and frustrated that we want something so bad, but refuse to satisfy ourselves, turning into this vicious cycle. The truth is it doesn't matter what you say, as long as you say it with confidence and with a smile. People will be so relieved and their need for human interaction will be satisfied. Try this next time you take the elevator and notice how people suddenly relax once the ice has been broken.
People are more than willing to accept a connection with other people, no matter how small, but they refuse to be the one to initiate that connection. Like I said before, the first words are the most terrifying, but the least important.
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