If you’re an introvert you may know all too well the struggles of trying to either gain friendships, connections, or to just live peacefully in such a noisy world. As someone who use to be painfully shy (and still have my moments), I can give you some insight into how to come out of that shell.
Observe and Learn
One of the ways I was able to become better at trying to break out of my shell was observing the behavior of people that were more extroverted than I was. I noticed that often times, they weren’t afraid to take up space or make their presence known.
While introverts typically tend to keep to themselves or not share their opinion as much, extroverts are more bold. Speaking up more is one of the ways that you will be able to break out of that framework. It’s okay to share your thoughts and opinions, people will be interested to hear what you say. Especially as an introvert, usually it’s the most quietest person whose thoughts ring out the loudest. You’ll be surprised by what you can contribute!
Lot’s of Practice!
You won’t really get better at being a social butterfly if you don’t practice! Maybe the goal isn’t to be extremely social either. Maybe you just want to be able to make small talk without being awkward or overthinking it.
The best way to get good at something is to just do it. It may be hard at first, but if you do it enough times, it will get much easier. If you can, practice with strangers. If you don’t get ideal results, or things take an awkward turn, you’ll be reassured that you’ll likely never see that person again. When things go great, awesome, you have a new connection!
Don’t Overthink It
Also, remember that most people are friendly. They won’t bite! People will not judge you for trying. It’s great that you are even taking that first step at all. It is good to do the hard things in life, because that is how we grow. Don’t overthink about what you’re saying. Hearing different perspectives is what makes society interesting.