Do you feel stupid when talking formal?

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I have trouble with saying formal platitudes or even greetings because for some reason they make me feel really silly. Like saying "Happy Birthday" or stuff like "have a nice day". So I usually avoid that, which either makes me look impolite or just goofy.

Yup, me too. I avoid it. When I participate in these exchanges, it's forced and I roll my eyes at it afterwards.

Yes, Sanctus, I recognise where you're coming from.

I went through a phase where I preferred not to say good morning/good day/good evening/good night to anyone. To a lesser extent, I also had trouble with 'thank you', 'you're welcome', and other little formalities.

I believe the reason why I was reluctant to say these phrases, was that my mind didn't see any immediate cause for uttering them from a purely objective POV. They're mainly phrases designed to 'smooth out' a conversation, but they don't serve to purely convey information, which is why I found them redundant.

I think the reason I have trouble with phrases like this is because they are things I realise I am supposed/expected to say, rather than something I instinctively wanted to say. There are times when I really want to say something like "thank you", and it is a lot more natural and easy to do in these cases.

Definitely. It feels unnatural, so I don't say any of these things.

hmm thought this thread was about something else from the title,

my speech often sounds far too formal in real life and have often been accused of using odd and formal or old sounding phrases.

but formal greetings in the manner described above does make me feel sligthly anxious or press ftted into the mold.

I think it goes along the lines of greeting someone in person and saying something "*insert name here*, how are you doing today?" I have a few people at work that say to me "Michael, how are you" I acknowledge them and say "I am great, how are you?" but never use their name. That is where I have formal issues, I usually don't call people by name.

Oddly, all people really hear me say to them are formalities.

Then I don't speak at all.

I feel stupid talking, period.

For a few years now whenever someone asks me. "How are you ?", I answer "Old and getting older everyday which pisses me off." You should see the surprised looks I get because I didn't answer with some expected moronic response.