Challenge 4: Be more sociable

 Yesterday Mr. Liu, one of my husband’s friends, invited us out for a lunch. To be more precisely, he is more of a client than a friend. Two years ago, my husband was a commercial property manager and Mr. Liu opened a toy shop at the shopping mall where my husband worked for. As far as I know, most of their interactions were limited to business, which unavoidably had not been always pleasant.

Still a sort of friendship had been built up during that time. It stuck me odd when we received his invitation. After all, my husband had left that company and they hadn’t met each other ever since. What’s the purpose of this meeting?

People come and go out of my life, and only a few could stay. No matter how close we used to be, once we went done alone a different path, we simply drift away----that’s what I’ve learnt from life.

However, my husband is different, and he has his own way of maintaining a relationship. He has many friends, some of them they haven’t seen each other for years, but once they got chance to meet together, and then they could soon pick up where they left behind and renewed their friendships.

Normally I would let my husband go alone in such events. I always felt uncomfortable around the strangers. If I go, I probably would plaster a smile on my face, trying to be polite and invisible all the time. I would totally, completely understand that phrase: It is like a fish out of water.

I changed my mind before I blurted out a usual NO because I remembered Challenges 100 Game and what’s it for: to make change, to break the status quo.

It is probably the toughest one for me. However, if I don’t work on it, it would be no point starting this game.

It turned out to be Okay. I am not saying that all my discomforts, anxieties and stress simply vaporized. However, I tried, really tried to blend in. Listen carefully and I even managed to jam a conversation to fill the void several times. Even my husband noticed it.

Small steps add up into a giant leap. Go ahead and prepare well for the challenges.