You've heard it said that "You never have a second chance to make a first impression." That's a generally true statement, one that reminds us that the things that we do and say can paint a picture of us that may or may not be fully accurate. Thus, we feel should be making sure we make a positive first impression.
The only trouble with this is that we can drive ourselves crazy being concerned about what impression we make. The more people you meet or get to know, especially if you are into social networking, the harder it is to keep up the same image with everyone and still be a "real" person. There's got to be a better way.
Why not just be the person God created you to be and accept that your first impression may not "click" with everyone? It's far less taxing. I'm not saying go out and be a jerk, not caring what people think (although not caring what people think CAN be a good thing in proper balance.) And, also consider that there's a good chance you'll be able to make a second impression, a third one, etc. How many of us have friends now that did not really impress us when we first met? Aren't you glad you allowed for more opportunities to get to know them better?
I saw this in action recently. A person I know had read a couple of pieces written by someone else I know, and commented on by yet another person I know. Because the topic discussed was limited, and she knew the other commenter a bit better, a certain impression developed about the original author that I knew did not paint a fully fair picture of him.
I was able to encourage my friend to read more of that writer's work, and she was glad I did, for she discovered more about him than what she'd gotten from the first couple of pieces she read. You see, this gentleman's opinion about one thing was fair enough--yet it gave a bit of a negative "first impression" to a first-time reader. But my friend allowed herself to "get to know" this writer a little more and thus, uncover a richer mixture of thought and character that she might have missed if she refused to go past her first impression.
So today, if someone doesn't make a good first impression, give them the benefit of the doubt. Learn more about them and you may be pleasantly surprised. And if you don't happen to leave a good first impression today, don't beat yourself up! Just be real and true and eventually, others may see how special you really are.
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