When First Impressions Don’t match Reality.
I’ll admit it- I’m one of those people who wants to be liked. I want to make a lasting, good first impression. Not a pretentious one, but the kind that says: I’m a decent human being. Fun to be around ( most times). Easy going (more often than not. Open to different ideologies.
Yes, I overthink every word that comes out of my mouth. I’ll probably try to make philosophical connections to just about everything. Entertain different perspectives, and sometimes I’ll even challenge people with new ways of thinking. But at the core, I’m simply a good person. Trying to figure life out, too.
The problem? My face doesn’t always cooperate.
When I’m not talking, smiling, or actively engaging, my resting face has a reputation. I’ve been told I look like a snob more times than I can count. Had strangers ask if I’m okay- on days when I was genuinely happy. I have been told to “relax a little” while I was, in fact, having a great time. My face just… didn’t get the memo.
Over time, I’ve learned to live with it. Sometimes, I even use it to my advantage. When I’d rather not talk, when I disagree, or when I’m bored, my face does the heavy lifting. It says what my mouth won’t : disgust, disappointment, disinterest. No words needed.
Still, I believe first impressions matter. But they’re often skewed. They rarely capture the full truth of who someone is. We judge through broken lenses, and we decide too quickly what kind of person we’re dealing with. That’s why I’m a big fan of withholding judgement. You can’t know someone’s character in five minutes.
Here’s what I’ve come to believe: if we’re our true selves all the time, we don’t have to worry about impressions. We don’t need to pretend to be one way when we’re really the opposite. Sure, it would be nice if people instantly saw the real us- but there’s only so much anyone can reveal in a first meeting.
So yes, first impressions matter. But they’re not the whole story. Stick around long enough and you’ll see people for who they are. Not always good. But at least proven
NdukuOutLoud 
Leave a comment