Humans are social animals, and we wither physically and psychologically when we are deprived of contact with other people. However, there are times when the prospect of social contact feels too much to bear. Sometimes it’s because we fear rejection. Other times, we’re just feeling emotional tender, unable to withstand the intensity of other people’s attention.
We feel bashful when we’re on the verge of entering a social encounter, but we hold ourselves back, suspecting that meeting up with other people could be a big mistake. Of course, even the bashful feel some pressure to socialize, and so they second guess themselves, wondering if they really might feel better if they got over their initial hesitation. A bashful emotion is the combination of these two impulses in conflict.
Sometimes, a bashful person will step forward and make contact in spite of their fears, but then end up feeling engentado, and seek a way to gracefully retreat. Of course, regret is a possible consequence of hanging back from the crowd as well, but when bashful people are at peace with their decision, they feel jomo – the joy of missing out – and revel in the serenity of solitude.
