We’re all encouraged to be more social than ever before. And with good reason — we’re social creatures by nature, and though it’s not always the most enjoyable process in the world, it is important that we spend time with other people. If nothing else, it gets us out of the house, and we might just meet someone who has an influence on our lives. However, it’s a little unfair the way the current social system is set up. You can’t just be there: you need to talk, and be entertaining, and so on, and some people understandably find that difficult. But fear not, because we’re here to help — below, we take a look at some useful tips for improving your social skills.
Find Your Environment
Many people grow up feeling out of place at social events, and that’s fair enough. Some environments you just won’t feel comfortable in — indeed, this could apply to the majority of social environments. But that doesn’t mean that there’s not one for you. If you’re currently, say, doing all of your socializing in swanky bars, and you’re not enjoying it, then maybe it’s time to discover a more alternative scene. There are plenty of people doing things in their own way, and by exploring a little, you might just find the people who you really connect with.
Learn to Talk
Some people seemingly have the natural gift of gab. You can drop them anywhere, and they’ll have no trouble striking up a conversation with whoever’s around them. Other people, not so much — they just can’t think of what to say. It’s important to remember that there are ways to overcome this issue; you’re not locked in for life. You can learn how to talk. The best method is to simply ask questions of other people — people love talking about themselves. After a couple of leading questions, you’ll find that the chat has opened up enough that it’s not a conversation.
Handle Issues
Some people have no trouble thinking of what to say but have other issues instead. For example, if you have poor hearing or a naturally quiet voice, then you might struggle to keep up with conversations in certain environments. So look at taking care of those issues. For your hearing, you can check out the hearing aids available from Listen Lively; they’ll bring your hearing levels back up to the right level. For your voice, practise projecting your voice. You might naturally be a quiet speaker, but there are ways to speak louder with a little bit of practice.
Don’t Stress
Finally, it’s important to try not to stress or panic when you’re in a social environment. Of course, this is easier said than done, and does take a little practice. You can work on your self-confidence, for starters, but also change how you view other people. They don’t have all the answers, and they’re only human, just like you. You don’t need to impress them, so focus on just being yourself. It’ll do wonders.
