Hm, interesting perspective on the ego-identification of extraverts.
Playing the role that was "expected" in certain social situations really exhausts me and I sought out to lessen my exposure to such interaction with people but instead seek out interaction which moves the heart and soul. Unfortunately it seems like most people get caught up in the persona we present to other people and this level of...pretense? is what bothers me. Maybe it isn't even pretense, but normal social interaction does not satisfy me completely.
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It's this big hassle of constantly having to manage personal relationships and other people's expectations, of being locked into the constantly fluctuating polarity of acceptance and rejection. And it's painful because the ego relies so heavily on other people's validation.
So, the change in my mindset is to relate to people on a level that is deeper/higher than the ego, which requires that I let go of whatever the result of this approach may be. Maybe people will feel rejected and offended etc., but the bottom line is that I don't want to play on the level of ego anymore, and so need to let go of it completely.
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I agree. People expect you to do things and act a certain way.
I've been trying to relate to people on a level higher than the ego (which is what satisfies me most anyway - getting to the person's soul) but how do you go about doing so? I try to engage in conversation which is most comfortable to the other person to establish common ground with them, while trying to gently ask them contemplative questions that would open them up to me about deeper issues in their life so we can form a more intimate bond.
So helgi, you've decided to released your attachment and expectations of other people and situations. You're going to act how you want to act and not worry about acceptance or rejection. Do you sometimes worry that people operating at different level may betray your trust? In a way, aren't you trusting them by being so open and unattached?