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My mom told me to just smile through my first week at the new job
She said it would help me seem friendly and approachable. So I plastered on a grin for 8 hours a day, even when I was completely lost and felt like crying in the supply closet. By Friday, my face hurt and I was more drained than after my old 10-hour shifts. Turns out, forcing it just made me feel more alone. Has anyone found a better way to handle being the new person without faking it?
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stellaperry9d ago
Ugh, that sounds so rough. I read something once about how a real smile is in the eyes, not just the mouth. So instead of a big fake grin, I try to make brief eye contact and give a small, quick smile when I pass someone in the hall. It feels way less like a performance. Asking a simple, real question helps too, like "Hey, where do these files go?" That tiny bit of real interaction beats hours of face-aching pretending.
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