It’s a common fact that social interaction and activity can play a big part in our lives and in making us feel like more rounded and happy individuals. When you only converse with your own mind, it can be take a toll on you and bring on various feelings of depression and anxiety. When your life has only one person in it, it can become quite fractious. While an easy remedy to this is to go out and make some friends, life isn’t that simple. Some people really struggle to make friends in social circumstances, and this can be a big problem down the line.
If you are somebody who struggles to dabble well in social situations, then these four simple tips might help you be sociable in the right circumstances and help you increase your pool of acquaintance and friends;
Don’t Wear A Mask
This is a big problem for a lot of people – if you have low self-esteem then it’s hard to believe that other people will like you for being you. Therefore, we invent little shades and masks to try and present ourselves as somebody slightly different, thinking this will make our chances of bonding much better. This couldn’t be further from the truth – one of the most likeable traits in somebody is authenticity.
Changing your own social habits can be hard work, and is nigh-impossible once you become stuck in your ways. It takes courage and long-term determination to change social habits that you believe have to change, but don’t try and purport yourself as a whole new person – it’s not going to help you in the long run.
Be Prepared For Change
Social awareness and comfort comes from experience – the first time you are in a situation where a joke goes too far, for example, will be different to the tenth time. Negative events in the past may have put you off being friends with people for one reason or another, but a sociable person is able to adapt to the situations that happen in front of them and still retain a social demeanor. Getting rid of a nervous disposition in the face of change can take many years of work, but a lot of self-determination will get you there.
Gauging Moods
When you feel in a good mood in general it’s much easier to be social, but what about when you aren’t at your best? Those who are in a cloud of their own thoughts & stress can be uncomfortable to be around. You will know yourself that when you aren’t in a great mood you don’t want to be around people, so why would other people be different?
Social situations can turn negative if somebody who isn’t feeling the mood is pushed too far. Being able to gauge the moods of others is a big part of improving your sociable qualities for the long term.