There are many things that can make socializing more difficult for people, including inexperience, social anxiety, and neurodiversity. However, this struggle is nothing to be ashamed of, and there are plenty of ways you can improve your social skills. This list is here to help you on that quest by offering 17 tips that make socially awkward people seem confident.
Practice Your Conversation Skills
It’s normal for people who feel socially awkward to avoid conversations with strangers or people they don’t know well. However, doing so is one of the best ways you can get more comfortable and skilled in socializing. Even small situations, like ordering food or asking for directions, can be hugely beneficial in helping you feel and appear more confident.
Embrace Body Language Cues
While body language is easy to overlook, it can actually be just as important as the words you’re exchanging. As noted by Verywell Mind, having open body language, such as smiling, angling yourself toward the person you’re talking to, and avoiding folding your arms, can all help you look more approachable and seem confident.
Prepare Topics in Advance
One thing many people struggle with in social situations is feeling awkward and anxious about not knowing what to say. An easy way you can combat this worry is by thinking ahead of time about topics you can talk about if any awkward silences come up. If necessary, you can even prepare a small, discreet list that you can refer to when the time comes.
Learn to Listen Actively
Active listening is a wonderful skill for several reasons. As well as taking the pressure off you by focusing on what the other person has to say, it makes you appear more confident, likable, thoughtful, and empathetic. All you have to do is listen actively to what they’re saying and respond with thoughtful questions or comments that show you’re listening.
Join a Social Hobby Group
As mentioned previously, practicing conversations and social interactions out in the wild is one of the best ways to improve your skills and increase your confidence. Another great way you can do this is by joining a local hobby group with like-minded people. It’s much easier to talk to people who share the same interests as you, and focusing on an activity can also take the pressure off socializing.
Take Improv Classes
If you’re looking for a fun and challenging way to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you might want to consider improv classes. While they can seem daunting, they often have fun, supportive environments that will help you build confidence and learn to think on your feet.
Work on Your Self-Image
One of the biggest reasons behind a lack of confidence is poor self-esteem. If you can start thinking more positively about yourself, that will be reflected in all of your social interactions. So remind yourself of all the great qualities and achievements you have and give yourself plenty of self-compassion.
Dress for Success
Making sure that your clothes are both comfortable and well-suited for the occasion can reduce your anxiety and help you feel much more confident. This will also reflect in your interactions and conversations, making people see you as more friendly and outgoing.
Accept and Use Compliments
Many people instinctively deflect or ignore compliments because they don’t believe them or feel too embarrassed. However, accepting compliments can be a great way to appear more confident and increase your self-esteem. You can also compliment other people to enhance your interactions and make yourself seem more likable.
Set Realistic Social Goals
The SMART goal method is a great way to tackle any challenge. As noted by the University of California, this involves making sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. By achieving small social goals, you’ll help yourself build more confidence and slowly move on to bigger challenges.
Find a Social Mentor
Everyone can use a little support in areas they struggle with. It’s a great idea to lean on a socially confident and adept friend, family member, or other mentor who can help guide you through social events. You can learn from observing how they handle interactions and gain more confidence from the experience.
Maintain a Positive Mindset
It’s not always easy to maintain a positive mindset when you’re already feeling hopeless or anxious about social situations. However, focusing on the positives you can gain from any situation and thinking about the best outcome can help you set yourself up for success, boost your confidence, and make you more pleasant to be around.
Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
As noted by Psych Central, mindfulness and meditation techniques can be highly effective in reducing feelings of social anxiety and stress. This can be as simple as taking slow, deep breaths before or during a social event you’re anxious about, helping you calm down and appear more confident.
Develop Your Conversation Exit Strategies
Another thing that many people get anxious and awkward about is not having a good way to leave a social situation or conversation when the time comes. To combat this worry, you can plan ahead and think of easy ways you can exit the conversation. For example, you can say that you have somewhere else you need to be and politely excuse yourself.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Nowadays, many of our social interactions don’t take place in person. So if you currently feel very anxious about the thought of meeting new people in public, you can first practice by either messaging or calling people on the phone or online. This can help build your confidence and eventually lead to real-life interactions.
Schedule Your Social Activities
A great way to set yourself up for success is by planning your social activities around times when you feel the most confident and energetic. This will help you feel less worried about and drained by these events, and it will also help people see you as more confident.
Focus on Others, Not Yourself
According to the Social Anxiety Institute, focusing externally rather than internally is a great way to reduce feelings of worry and anxiety. So instead of worrying too much about yourself, ask people questions, show interest in others, and notice things about your environment. This will naturally help you feel and appear more confident.
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