12 Ways to Immediately Improve your Social Skills
Social skills are something that everyone should possess, whether they’re an introvert or extroverts. Without social skills, it can be very difficult to make friends, impress people you meet for the first time, and even get the woman (or man) of your dreams.
However, improving your social skills is something that everyone should strive for. If you feel like you could use some help with making yourself more comfortable in different situations like talking to strangers or introducing yourself to new people at a party, then this article is for you!
Here are twelve ways that will immediately improve your social life:
1 . Practice public speaking.
The best way to become better at talking to people is to practice speaking in public. You do not have to be a professional speaker, but you should try your best to become more comfortable with it. If nothing else, join a club where you are required to give regular presentations at every meeting or take action by joining the debate team.
2 . Think about how other people are feeling before entering a room full of strangers.
If you walk into a room full of unfamiliar faces and immediately start thinking about yourself, then socializing will become very difficult for you. Get in the habit of assessing the moods of everyone around you before beginning any conversations or introducing yourself. This way, the focus will stay on them instead of being all about you! Just watching body language can help you learn a lot about the people around you. For instance, if they seem very serious or angry, then it might not be the best time to strike up a cheery conversation with them!
3 . Work on your posture.
Poor posture can lead to feelings of anxiety and can keep you from looking confident when meeting new people. When walking into any room, make sure that you are holding your head up high in order to maintain a good stance. Also, avoid crossing your arms across your chest in an attempt to look casual; this will actually make you appear more guarded instead of approachable.
4 . Master eye contact during conversations.
Eye contact is one of the most important things for building strong connections with other people. Maintaining eye contact with someone that you are speaking to shows them that you care about what they’re saying and it makes the conversation more personal. However, when talking to groups of people, be careful not to accidentally fixate your gaze on one person for too long.
5 . Ask questions during conversations.
People love talking about themselves, so take advantage of this fact by asking questions whenever possible. Asking good questions allows you to show how interested you are in other peoples’ lives while simultaneously making sure that the spotlight is off of you for a little while! How are you supposed to get to know someone if they don’t really open up?
6 . Do NOT interrupt others while they are speaking.
If you have a problem with interrupting people when they’re talking, then there’s one simple solution: stop yourself. Remind yourself that it is not polite to talk over other people and that interrupting someone shows that you think your thoughts and opinions are more important than theirs.
7 . Practice good hygiene.
When meeting new people, smelling nice will be the least of their concerns; however, if you go around smelling like what my friend calls “a homeless man who spent the night in an alley after drinking too much whiskey,” then they will most likely want to keep their distance from you! Take a shower every day and use deodorant to make sure that nobody gets offended by your natural scents. Not only is it rude to offend other people with your body odour, but it can also make you seem less confident which will affect how others perceive you.
8 . Listen to the conversation going on around you.
A great way to become a more considerate, respectful person is by listening better during conversations instead of focusing on what you are going to say next. Do not worry about planning what your contribution will be or if someone will think that you’re being rude for interrupting them; just pay attention and offer comments only when something important has been said. It might feel weird at first but try practising active listening: focus all of your energy on trying to hear what they are saying rather than formulating a response in your head while they are speaking!
9 . Laugh at other people’s jokes.
Even if the joke isn’t all that funny, you should still try to laugh politely. Unless they are really terrible, encourage others around you to tell more jokes by giggling along with them. This will make them feel relaxed and open up more which can lead to interesting conversation topics in the future! Also, while laughing takes away from some of your natural confidence, it will show that you are having a good time with everyone around you and thus make yourself seem more approachable.
10 . Do not be afraid of silence.
Silence does not have to be awkward or uncomfortable; in fact, it can often bring people closer together as they share a moment of intimacy. If someone starts feeling awkward during the silence, it is up to you as the person who is more comfortable with silence to say something in order to keep things light-hearted and easy!
11 . Show gratitude for what someone does for you…
Even if their help was not particularly helpful or crucial, thank them anyway! It will make them feel good about themselves and ready to help you in the future when necessary. Remember that nobody wants people around them who are always looking for ways to take advantage of others, so demonstrating your appreciation shows that you do not have this sort of personality.
12 . Introduce yourself to new people
Even if you bump into someone you already know at a party, it is polite to introduce yourself because not everyone knows each other. Saying “hey, I’m Sophie” does not take very long and ensures that nobody feels left out or ignored. After all, who doesn’t like being greeted by name?
If there’s one thing you should take from this article, it’s that introducing yourself to people isn’t the most difficult social task ever! It may feel weird or forced at first but with time you will be able to do it quickly and effortlessly. Most importantly of all, remember that not everyone has good intentions when meeting new people so always invest in your intuition. If something seems off about them then trust what your gut tells you!
Social skills are something that everyone should possess, whether they’re an introvert or extroverts. Without social skills, it can be very difficult to make friends, impress people you meet for the first time, and even get the woman (or man) of your dreams. However, improving your social skills is something that everyone should strive…