As an introvert, large crowds scare me. I find it very hard to meet new people and really put myself out there. I usually only have two friends at a time and we stay home and watch Netflix with my cat.
Staying at home all the time is great and relaxing, but it does not allow you to open up to meeting new people and experiencing life.
Step 1: Master the First Impression
The first tip I have to meeting new people is making a great first impression. There has been studies done to prove that people will judge you within the first few seconds they see you. That’s not very long to be able to get to know someone, but it makes all the difference.
Talking to new people gives me a bit of anxiety so when people first meet me they automatically assume I am a mean person until they get to know me. Since those first few seconds really make a difference when meeting someone new, you should smile. A genuine smile is the best way to go to let people know that you are nice and approachable (unlike me most of the time).
Step Two: Open Up
The second tip I have is to open up. If you are someone like me, you generally keep a locked box on your thoughts and feelings; you don’t really share them very much. This will not allow you to make new friends.
To build a friendship that will last you are going to have to loosen the binding on the book of your life. This does not mean to tell every person you meet your entire life story. Just try not to keep yourself closed off. That will result in you being completely closed off from everyone you meet.
Step Three: Be Yourself
One last bit of advice I have is to just be yourself when meeting new people. If you are your genuine self, you should not have a problem meeting new people. Do not be nervous about what someone might think of you.
If you really try to put yourself out there and meet new people, you never know who you might find that could make an impact on your life in a way you never thought could happen before.
Meeting new people could lead to new adventures!