I'm not a big talker, when I'm with a lot of my friends and family we have silences all the time. But it feels totally fine because we're comfortable with each other. And when I'm with my chatty friends I just bounce off them. I've always attracted friends who ended up being balanced with me in some way. Either they are really extroverted, or are shyer too and also are fine with me being quiet.
But in the dating world it's different… I feel like I'll only meet girls in public quickly or online. Not at work or via friends, where they can feel my vibe over a period of time. I went on my first date ever with a girl at a restaurant and it was sooo awkward, it was like a job interview with awkward silences. My last relationship started with a hookup and we felt comfortable around each other, so we never had to go through the awkward dinner situation. But I don't want to do that again.
Should I work on my conversational skills even though it feels fake to push conversation? Should I keep going on awkward dates until I meet a girl it's not so awkward with? Stories and experiences of fellow quiet people would be great 🙂