Practice Being Outgoing When the Stakes are Low

You might be shy; you might not be terribly charismatic.

But youre not destined to be that way.

Social skills are just that: skills.

They can be learned and honed.

Learn to be more outgoing by practicing when the stakes are low.

Weve told you before thatbeing shy is just a habit.

With regular practice,it’s possible for you to break that habit.

These are the perfect situations to pretend to be the most confident, outgoing person you might possibly be.

For example, practice by striking up conversations with cashiers or waiters.

Ask them how their day is going.

Give them a sincere compliment.

I actually do this on occasion without giving it much thought.

For example, Ive always felt like Im terrible at complimenting people.

I say, I like your shoes, they say thanks, but then what?

Im not socially skilled, so Id often follow up with awkward silence.

But compliments are nice, so I wanted to get better at it.

To do this, I often practice complimenting strangers: a fellow grocery shopper, for example.

Or, as Ganddini suggests, a cashier or waitress.

Practicing doesnt mean that the compliment isnt genuine.

But theres less pressure, and that helps me get used to complimenting in general.

The same thing could work for other social skills.

Check out the rest of Ganddinis piece at the link below.

The Ultimate Networking Guide for Introverts| College Info Geek

Photo byBowy Gavid Bowie Chan.