Introductions.

Have you ever had that awkward experience during icebreakers when the group leader goes around and says the worst line ever.

“So we’re just going to go around the circle and I want each person to say
their name,

their age,

and something interesting about themself.”

Then now it’s a nervous glancing back and forth between everyone in the group as we say answers that we hope will in some way validate ourselves in other people’s eyes.

“I have a plant named ___, and sometimes I like to take it on walks.”

“I can do a handstand

… and backflip off into moving vehicle”

You wreck your brain and try to search for the most interesting thing to say. You love to read? Boring. How about that time you helped someone purchase a train ticket so that they didn’t miss their flight? Those damn ticket machines, they’re a tough one.

Oh no, now everyone’s looking at you.

“Hi I’m Alice and I’m 19 this year.” *looks nervously at the person next to you*

“Nice to meet you Alice, welcome! What’s your interesting fact?”

oh no, mind is blank.

“Uh, I’m not a very interesting person” *chuckles nervously*

“Nonsense, everyone is interesting. Do you like to read?”

“Yes”

“There you go!”

Great.

What if… some of us are just not interesting?

Or that what makes us unique isn’t something that can be reduced to a sentence?

Why is that such a mind blowing fact?