Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

They say that you never get a second chance at a first impression. Are first impressions that important or do they mislead people? Ishani Ranasinghe has more
Once only
I never go by first impressions. I was once told this… Oh please. If someone ever says this to you, do what I did, roll your eyes and move on, because what they are saying is worse than any cheesy pick up line.

You walk into a room, any room to meet someone new, and you feel someone’s eyes bore into you. You know then and there that this person is judging you. From the minute you walk in even before you open your mouth, you are being judged. Your style, personality, looks – everything is judged in that brief encounter.

Now if this makes you feel uncomfortable and you are racking your brain wondering if the first impression you left was a good one… join the bandwagon because you certainly are not alone.

First impressions are certainly an important part in our day-to-day lives. They can at times make or break the first meeting with someone. What happens during that first moment can affect the rest of the relationship, and no, I am not being melodramatic.

Think about it. How many times have you heard, “When I first met him…” or “The first time I saw you I thought…” How often do you find yourself baffled, bewildered or even hurt, because the response you elicit from others is different from the one you had hoped for? Blame it on first impressions.

Think… when you first enter a room, an office, or a business meeting, you have only one moment, one fleeting instant in which you receive the complete and undivided attention of those around you. Later on all that attention you think you are getting… Not so much so. Anyway in that instant, the people observing decide whether you are a threat or an attraction, whether you are of interest to them or not. In most cases, people make the vital decision about a stranger in less time than what it takes to blink an eyelash. If you mess up that moment, you certainly have to work awfully hard for the next.

Every relationship, personal or business, whatever it is, starts with a first impression. The right body language and conversation takes just seconds to set the stage for a winning impression. If it is an interview, the first impression could be what makes us get that job we dreamed about or not. The impression we create could as well be the all-important factor in the whole meeting that gives you the ‘edge’.

The interviewer makes a judgement of you within the first two or three minutes. The rest of the time is spent filtering information. If the first impression you give is a bad one, heaven help you, because the rest of the time it is likely that whoever it is will be picking up any other negative vibes as well. Thankfully, the reverse is also true of good first impressions – only good vibes will be received. Phew!!!

It’s the same even when it comes to going out and meeting people or someone special. They tend to look at you and start judging you the very minute they see you. Being judged is something we all hate… but this is reality. We hate it but we are guilty of doing the same thing.

Remember, first impressions people create are never always accurate. So many people admit that the impression they form in their minds about someone at times have ended up being wrong. This is why many people tend not to believe in the concept of creating a good first impression.

Yet no matter what is said and done, the first impression that you created in a person’s mind sticks with them, and changing that is no easy task, trust me. They all say everyone deserves a second chance, but when it comes to impressions… one chance is all you get. So make good use of it.

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