Let’s start from the basis that there is nothing wrong with being alone and enjoying being without other people. In fact, it has been proven that spending time alone can greatly improve your mind and revitalize your body as well.
However, it is also important to socialize with other people and, in return, create new bonds with different people.
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1. Change your mindset.
You won’t meet new people if you’re constantly thinking about what can go wrong in whatever social situation you’re getting into.. It is important to enter each new social environment with a positive attitude and even some positive affirmations.
They can include things like:
- «I will make new friends.»
- «This conversation starter may not have worked, but I have faith the next one will.»
- «If I’m not successful today, it will work next time.»
Manifestations and creating positive collateral can greatly improve your chances of entering an environment with a successful end result. Don’t be afraid to try it!
2. Start conversations.
Every time you enter a social situation, don’t be afraid to approach strangers and start conversations. It can range from picking up small talk to finding something in common and striking up a conversation about it.
People also love to talk about themselves, and that can be a great icebreaker. Depending on what you hear you can ask more questions or validate them or share a personal detail of yours.
If you’re stuck and need help starting a conversation, here are some:
- Do you have interesting hobbies or interests?
- What has been the best place you have traveled to recently?
- What do you do in your free time?
The trick to starting a conversation is to get out of your head and say just about anything. Something simple works best from a question to a compliment. Most people are happy to talk for a short time and will be friendly.
You can start by practicing in low-risk situations, like at the convenience store when you check out or in the checkout line at the grocery store. Start small: just a sentence or two and take the pressure off yourself. You will get more comfortable with practice and then continue to stretch and try longer conversations.
Practice makes perfect!
10 steps to be more sociable and improve your relationships, even if you have an introverted personality / Photo by Pexels
3. Find ways to get involved
Find activities or hobbies that allow you surround yourself with different groups of people is probably the best way to socialize.
If you are actively looking for events that contain things that interest you, it also means that you will be surrounded by like-minded people. Strike up conversations with people who share the same genuine interests as you can be much easier.
Try anything from a networking event, to volunteering for an organization, and even attending an art class or social event of some sort.
4. Organize an event.
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys hosting, this is a great opportunity to meet new people and practice your social skills.
You can invite current friends and ask them to bring people, which can greatly increase your chances of talking to new people. It can also be a great test to get out of your comfort zone and force yourself to overcome the social anxiety that can come from interacting with a new crowd of people.
You can range from something you host weekly to something you can host monthly. Either way, it’s a way to have fun, but also to be in control of the event.
5. Have welcoming body language.
Nine times out of ten, a person’s appearance can determine whether or not you are approachable.
If you are in any type of event or social gathering, it’s important to look like you’re ready to have conversations and interactions with people. Standing in the corner with your arms crossed or constantly looking at your phone can automatically give people the impression that you’d rather not be at that particular event, causing them not to want to get close to you.
You could be the friendliest person on the planet, but your body language can easily tell otherwise.
Some tips on better body language include:
- 1. Smile, wave, or even nod your head in acknowledgment to other people at the event.
- 2. Try to make eye contact with people around the room as a way of inviting them to talk to you.
- 3. Move around and mingle with other people, don’t stay in a corner of the room.
6. Be a good listener
The most memorable part of having a conversation with someone is knowing that the other person is really listening to what you have to say. There is nothing worse than being in a conversation with another person and realizing that he is not listening and therefore does not care what you have to say.
Being a good listener you are also showing that you have a genuine interest in the conversationwhich will make people want to search for you and have more conversations.
Being fully engaged in a social situation shows that you are involved and care about the topic, which leads to more stimulating interactions with people. 10 steps to be more sociable and improve your relationships, even if you have an introverted personality / Photo by Pexels
7. Make socializing a priority
This may seem like a given to some people, but to others, sometimes it may not be at the forefront of our minds.
Like everything else, making time to socialize and go out is really importantand if you want to improve your social skills and form new relationships, then it’s even more important.
Try to go out at least once a week. It is important that, even in stressful times, you take time off to enjoy yourself and pamper yourself. You shouldn’t spend a lot of time without going out and socializing with different people.
8. Say yes when people ask you out
Don’t be the person who always cancels or says no when people ask to go out. The best experiences can happen when you agree to go out and from there, you can meet new and fun people.
Try not to let your shyness or aversion get out because he thinks he won’t meet anyone to stop him from going out and having a good time. Even if you don’t know anyone at the event you were invited to, chances are you’ll end up leaving with at least some positive interactions and potential plans to meet these new people again.
So get in the habit of saying ‘yes’ and you definitely won’t regret it.
9. Extend your own invitations
While it’s important to say ‘yes’ when other people ask you out, it’s even more important to extend your own invitations to things.
Even if it’s just hanging out in a casual setting, forming those social connections and expanding your friendships can happen just by connecting with others. If you don’t communicate on a consistent basis, it could give the impression that you don’t really care about the relationship.
It’s another great way to work on your social skills and get out of your comfort zone to be able to interact with people.
10. Seek professional help
Sometimes our social anxiety can’t be fixed by simply walking into an event or party and starting to make small talk with strangers. Sometimes problems run deeper than that and you may need to seek outside resources or professional help.
Do not be afraid to communicate with therapists or even try to find online support groups for people struggling with socializing and/or social anxiety.
There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that you need help and then actively seeking it out. Forming human connections is important, but so is putting your mental health first.
10 steps to be more sociable and improve your relationships, even if you have an introverted personality / Photo by Pexels