How can I be more outgoing to people I just met, especially in situations where, say, alcohol isn’t present? I find it hard to open up to new people and be outgoing initially.
While most websites would list off a variety of tricks or tips to pretend to be outgoing, I won’t do that: the real way to be outgoing is practice.
The thing about being good in social situations is that true skill develops from experience, not tricks. Few people inherently know how to be “sociable” — it’s something of a learned skill, far too nuanced to explain and far too practical to list out.
With that being said, there are some things you can do. First off, make being outgoing a habit — talk to everyone you can, start conversations, and try as hard as you can to be “out there” and affable. Go so far as to strike up conversations in grocery store lines — anything you can do to practice. Remember, only absolute assholes will be cruel to you for simply talking. Second off, give yourself some deserved confidence. Wear nice clothing, exercise often, do anything you can to make yourself feel as if you are in tip-top shape. Being worried about how you look or sound makes being outgoing that much harder. Third and finally, don’t wear an iPod or stare at your phone constantly — doing so makes you seem unapproachable and distant.
Long story short? Get out and practice, and do it as much as you can. Skill will come eventually.
Tags: conversation, outgoing, social life, society
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