What's normal eye contact with people in everyday life?

[mellow_yellow]

Whenever I'm out and I'm walking by someone, are you supposed to look straight ahead and act like you didn't notice them? I tend to look straight ahead and look at the person passing by me through my peripheral vision, usually when it's a hot woman. Or is the normal thing to sometimes take a quick look at the person you're passing by to acknowledge them and then continue looking straight? Another related question is if it signals low value if you sit down at a bar and look around at who's there.

Asking because I've been very self-conscious about this. I want to know what's normal, everyday behavior because I feel like I'm not normal since I'm hyper-aware of my surroundings. When I walk around, I notice things that most people are completely unaware of as they move around in their everyday lives.

 

[wifehunter]

Whenever I'm out and I'm walking by someone, are you supposed to look straight ahead and act like you didn't notice them? I tend to look straight ahead and look at the person passing by me through my peripheral vision, usually when it's a hot woman. Or is the normal thing to sometimes take a quick look at the person you're passing by to acknowledge them and then continue looking straight? Another related question is if it signals low value if you sit down at a bar and look around at who's there.

Asking because I've been very self-conscious about this. I want to know what's normal, everyday behavior because I feel like I'm not normal since I'm hyper-aware of my surroundings. When I walk around, I notice things that most people are completely unaware of as they move around in their everyday lives.

I like to keep my eyes focused on high value things. Low value things stay out of focus.

However, glancing (not focusing) is ok for situational awareness.

 

[IKO69]

Honestly, years ago I had a painful shyness about EC and I often would look away/down whenever I met the eyes of a girl I thought was cute....as such if she did something to give herself "away" I wouldn't have noticed. So I worked on this and overcame it. Now adays I just look at them when I am about to pass. Don't continuously have your eye on them for like 500 ft you know, but do it when you are near. You'll notice all the women who will fidget, look down (from what I understand thse things signify she thinks you are handsome but i'm 50/50 on it and only consider open & relaxed smiles from women) and you'll get some that look back at you and smile from time to time.


I spent about 1 month or 2 just walking around the city doing this to make note of the reactions (I suggest everyone does it). I thought of myself as a scientist out in the "field" if you will - I wanted to see if I could notice any patterns and what not. I noticed more fidgeting and what not occurred if I gave more consideration to wardrobe - not necessarily out in dress clothes (although I think that is a very good look) but particular shirts and what not that had nice colors and patterns in which strangers had actually told me they looked good. It confirmed what I had suspected previously because I am not a bad looking fellow and I have had some nice looking women like me before, but I sometimes felt like I wasn't doing as well as I "could have". It came down to a poor attitude/crap that was effecting me negatively at the time and not enough consideration to clothes, aka I was going out dressed like a punk rocker - which I like but it caters to only a certain audience. You want to dress in a way that "suits you" but is also neutral - that is attracts different kind of chicks.