2. Always keep your phone on you.
An
awkward person with a cell phone in a social environment is the
equivalent of MacGyver having a Swiss Army knife in a bind. You’re
instantly resourceful. It allows us the ability to occupy ourselves
using various apps and games or pretending to be texting. This serves as
a brilliant coping mechanism to deal with being in an uncomfortable
setting.
3. Be early.
If you’ve ever shown up to an event
late, you’re aware of how difficult it can be to ingratiate yourself
into the festivities. Everyone seems to already be acquainted with each
other and you struggle to take part in conversations. If you arrive
early, there’s nobody there who you haven’t met — thus, you’re in a
position to be the most popular person in the joint.
4. Ask questions.
Some aren’t great at conversing;
others become particularly nervous speaking to certain individuals. A
helpful way to avoid babbling, stumbling over your words, and coming off
as a tense person is to put the pressure on others. Let them talk. All
you do is listen, and generate a response — in the form of a question.
They describe their nostalgic stories of fishing with their father as a
child for 10 minutes, then you ask “How large was the biggest fish you
ever caught?” Boom — another 10 minutes of conversation generated.
Eventually you’ll grow more comfortable and feel compelled to discuss
yourself as well.
5. If you can’t recognize the temperature, avoid playing the role of weatherman.
If you’re uncertain about the type of sense of humor those you’re
interacting with have, don’t tell jokes. Oftentimes attempts at
wittiness around the wrong people come off as uncalled for or
inappropriate. Know or have a good idea of the mood and feel of your
surroundings before practicing your standup routine.
6. Don’t think about screw-ups.
Emphasize your attention on the positive aspects of your experience.
While it can be difficult to make it through a social event when certain
things have gone wrong, or you’ve embarrassed yourself — focus on
what’s gone right. Be progressive. Encouraging yourself and recognizing that you’ve done well in some areas will go a long way.
7. Worry less about others’ opinions.
Obviously
that’s easier said than done, but you’ve got to. Even if that means
having a drink or two to loosen up, you must force yourself to refrain
from caring. If we’re worried in advance about what he or she will think
of us, we’ll try to live up to their expectations (which are probably
incredibly high, if they were created by our self-conscious minds).
It’ll be straining and that rarely ever works out well. Keep it natural
and authentic. Although there is one thing you can force…
8. Be extraordinarily friendly.
Smile. Smile some
more. Then follow that up with a little more smiling. Seriously, people
thoroughly enjoy being around a flat out nice, happy person. That’s why
Will Smith and Ellen DeGeneres are so appealing. Even if you start out
imitating happiness, eventually it can turn into the real thing.
Sometimes pretending like you know what you’re doing leads to somehow,
actually knowing what you’re doing. It’s the same with emulating joy.
Fake it ‘til it’s real.
9. Don’t try to ease the awkward silences.
When
something uncomfortable or rude is said — whether it’s by yourself or
another person — silence may occur. When nobody is laughing at a punch
line, or has no response to a slightly offensive comment, don’t even
attempt to fill that void. Doing so can, and probably will result in
some excruciating discomfort. There truly are some instances where
silence is golden — especially if it’s somebody else who’s responsible
for the awkward quietness. However, if you initiated the anxiousness, just wait a few seconds and a new topic will arise.
10. Get out of the house!
It’s a lot easier to say
something bold over Facebook chat than it is in person. As a result, our
generation has spawned a massive amount of awkwardness. Many don’t feel
comfortable functioning in public, or holding a conversation that’s not
behind a keyboard. The only way to get used to social environments is
repetition. The more you talk to people face-to-face, the easier it’ll
get. As an occasionally anxious person, I assure you that this can be
done if you have confidence… or shots of tequila. That always helps.
