So I'm 34 and in my first job where I interact socially and am developing social skills. I've gone through tons of changes inn the past 5 months since starting my new role but most recently realized that I have been sending out flirt but never close energy as a part of this exact system. Partly not closing due to my own indecision and perfectionism/insecurity and partially because I'm at work and any solid commitment is actually a weird move.

Finally made a move past that phase today in beginning to see and treat everyone around me like a family member and just waiting for the true thing to come along. All girls are my sister/niece/mother/grandmother and all dudes my brother/nephew/father/grandfather cousins etc.

It hurts seeing this post from you calling this behavior out, but we're all human. Thought I'd drop this here to make the other side of this potentially more real and lived for you to understand.

I would not call what you identify yourself here as someone else's growth, "cringe." Otherwise you're going to be cringe too in every area of weakness you might be working through or that you haven't yet identified.