In my teenage years, I read that strong eye contact is important. And that's what I do for more than a decade.

Until my narcissist mother told me last year that my eye contact is way too intense. It was a mentally though time for me, and somehow I took that comment way too seriously.

Now it becomes a habit to avoid eye contact when talking to people since then.

I want to revert all this shit back. I know, it's a small stupid thing, but that woman's words somehow have a hypnotic power on me, and it becomes surprisingly difficult for me to hold a strong eye contact. I need to find a way to erase wrong beliefs in my mind.

Can you please tell me the significance of eye contact in social interactions?

Thanks.