Avoiding People 101
People find it funny whenever I talk about all of the ways I have avoided people. Avoiding People 101 is part serious, part funny. The truth is, everyone has their own ways and reasons for avoiding people, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Sometimes you just don’t want to talk to somebody, or you can’t stand being around toxic or negative people. This advice is not just for introverts because it can be awkward around certain people, no matter who you are.
I have had people tell me that I’m in a different category when it comes to avoiding people. I have gone as far as climbing out an upper story window in a building just to get away from a certain situation. I have no qualms about being embarrassed and I don’t feel like I have any dignity. I’m just trying to keep myself happy and healthy in the best way possible. For some people it will be hard to avoid people. However, if you’re really good at avoiding people, it’s usually because you are someone who has little to no shame, you don’t care about your dignity, or you don’t feel like you have to be responsible for everyone else’s feelings or egos. It can take a lot of time and practice to be okay with avoiding people.
There are levels to avoiding people. What level you use depends on how comfortable you are with avoiding people, as well as the people that you’re avoiding. However, everyone has done a Level 1 at some point. Kids, millennials, and Gen Z are really good at this because we don’t feel like we have to interact with everyone around us all of the time.
Level 1 is a general “please don’t disturb me.” This could be playing on your phone, or even just pretending to be on your phone, such as playing games, social media, and texting. It could also be having headphones on and listening to music, or pretending to do so. You can also be reading, but that doesn’t always work because people assume you’re not doing anything important and interrupt you anyway. Sometimes I will read with headphones on. Some other ideas include studying or working, whether it is for real or fake. Some people won’t respect that you want to be left alone though.
Level 2 is more of a “leave me alone” level. It’s a little less nice, and can be passive aggressive. Some options are turning your music up a lot louder in your headphones so others can hear it, changing your route to avoid someone, faking a call on your phone, or going to the bathroom and taking your time to do your makeup or saying there was a long line. Another idea is staring off into the distance and zoning out with unfocused eyes. You may realize someone is waving at you off in the distance, but try not to react, look vaguely in their area, and then move your line of sight slowly like you are distracted by a bird or something. Sometimes this doesn’t work as well.
Finally, Level 3 is more extreme. Use this level if you get caught or seen. Sometimes it is necessary and there isn’t a way to avoid being kind of rude. You can literally drop out of sight, jump out of places such as windows, pretend you don’t misunderstand or mishear things, disappear around the corner and making a run for it, or act weird or crazy on purpose so people leave you alone.
You really don’t have to talk or interact with everyone. You don’t need to be forced to interact with people you don’t want to interact with, so do what you can to keep yourself healthy and sane. Use this information however you want to and at your own discretion. If you feel comfortable, dip a toe into the next level to see if you can pull it off.
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In this pack you get 6 (7 pages) worksheets. An expense tracker, birthday reminder, social media passwords, habit tracker, monthly goals worksheet, and savings goal worksheet.
Each worksheet leaves plenty of space for you to write. Also, they can be used over and over again.