Peter Decaprio says you probably know whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. There are even tests to find out. But knowing your personality type alone won’t help if you feel like something is missing from your life, and that’s where the introverts come in. If there’s a voice in the back of your mind telling you that you’d be happier if only you didn’t spend so much time alone or with just one or two people, and instead had more chances to talk and interact with new people and varied groups of people all the time, maybe it’s time for some introspection on your part. Of course not everyone wants to be outgoing and super confident all the time; but here we’ll focus on how you can become a bit more outgoing, if you do want to learn how.
How To Be Less Shy and More Outgoing Introverts often have a hard time being assertive and going after what they want in life because of their quiet nature. Introverts’ thoughts are usually chock full of ideas and big dreams, but it’s the quieter demeanor that holds them back from really putting those plans into action.
If this sounds like you, then here are some ways to be less shy and more outgoing:
1. Draw from Other People’s Energy
Now first off let me say I don’t mean to steal energy from other people without their permission or anything creepy like that! What I mean is, meet up with friends who seem to be positive and outgoing and get them to help you become more outgoing. If they can be like a role model for you in this way, then that’s a pretty good start.
2. Think Of Other People As A Source Of Happiness […]
As an introvert it’s actually really easy to put all your happiness into other people, because being around someone else who is happy makes you feel better by association. This is why so many introverts have such active social lives on social media sites—they interact with so much positive content from other people that they feel happier just by scrolling through their feeds!
3. Make A “New Places” List And Try To Visit Them All
For example, if there are five new places you’ve wanted to try, make it your goal to visit all of them over the next one to two months. This is a great way to become more outgoing because by visiting new places you’ll be making yourself more comfortable with being out in the world and around strangers, which will help you feel more confident.
4. Practice Non-Verbal Communication
Learning how to effectively communicate with people without having to rely on words alone can really help introverts become less shy, because then they don’t have to worry that someone might misunderstand them or their actions if they ever say something wrong—they can just let their body language do all the talking! It’s also very important for communication in general. Here are some nonverbal communication tips: Let your eyes linger for a few extra seconds on the person you’re talking to. Avoid fidgeting; this can make people nervous, and they’ll worry that you’re lying or hiding something. Make sure your smile is real, not forced. Practice different gestures so it looks like you don’t have to think about what your hands are doing—sitting with your hands in front of you with palms up makes it more likely that someone will ask for help if need be!
Peter Decaprio: How to Improve Your Social Skills
There’s always more than one way to skin a cat (or become less shy) which brings us to our next tip: just do more stuff! Does some volunteer work at an animal shelter, go on hikes by you during the day, and attend more parties. By being more outgoing, you’ll strike up conversations with new people that will help build your social circle, and it doesn’t even have to be all that weird or draining—it just takes a little bit of practice! Here are some tips for taking part in group activities without it being too overwhelming:
Take small steps. If you get flustered talking to one person at a time, start by striking up a conversation with someone who’s alone rather than trying to talk to several people at once. If you want to get better at planning events and leading groups, take an improve class! They push you out of your comfort zone so much that after a while interacting with other people is no big deal.
Conclusion:
Peter Decaprio says these are just some of the ways that you can become less shy—there are many more! You might not see a huge difference from one day to the next, but if you stick with it then over time you’ll become more outgoing and confident in yourself.