Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Reaching strangers and talking is like an art parachute. This is fun and exciting but also risky. This action can also change your life. Even if you are scared of talking to strangers, you can unintentionally experience good moments in your life if you really try hard. Read this article if you really want to understand the art of communicating with strangers.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Managing anxiety

1. 

   Practice until you feel like talking to someone you don't know becomes second nature. The best way to overcome your social phobia is to deal with it. Talking to strangers is like any other skill: the more you practice, the better you become. With adequate training, this will be completely natural for you. You don't even have to "think" how to talk to someone you don't know. The best way to practice is to set weekly goals.
   • Do not push yourself! If talking to a stranger is overwhelming, start slowly. You can start by promising yourself that you'll talk to two strangers for a week. One person per week.
   • Continue to push yourself! Practicing too much or too little is only a fine line apart. You don't want to feel overwhelmed, but you certainly don't want to let the fear get you back. Step out of your comfort zone.

2. 

   
   
   Attend social events alone. Yes, do not invite anyone to follow. Put yourself in a social situation where you yourself don't know anyone. If you don't have friends behind you, you will try to blend in more. Do not rush. If you haven't been able to talk to anyone for the first few times, don't worry. You are still there and among people you don't know, that's something you've never done before! Find events in your city where you can chat with strangers like:
   • Art performances
   • Reading sessions
   • Concerts
   • Exhibition at the museum
   • Outdoor festival
   • Association for people who like brain activities
   • Parade / congress / demonstration

3. 

   
   
   Ask your friends for help. If you find it difficult to talk to someone you do not know, ask someone you are comfortable with for help. With the help of your friends, you can practice talking with strangers while you are around to feel comfortable.
   • Don't let the friend do the entire conversation. Make sure they know you want to join the conversation more than usual.

4. 

   
   
   Don't worry too much. If you think too much before you initiate a conversation with the stranger, then you are on your own. The more you think about this, the more anxious you will become. When you meet someone you want to talk to, get to know them quickly before you stop yourself. The adrenaline in your body will help you stop worrying.

5. 

   Pretend to be comfortable until you feel completely okay. Talking to an unfamiliar person can frighten and tire you in situations where there is a high chance of failure. If you are interviewing for a job or want to talk to someone charismatic, you may fear that people will see your anxiety. But the truth is, no one knows how stressed you are, other than you. Pretend to have more confidence than you actually feel, and the person you're talking to will see what you want to show.
   • Remember, the more often you talk to strangers, the less you will have to pretend to be confident.

6. 

   Don't let rejection let you down. Even though you try hard, the other person can still reject you. If you're shy, you know well that sometimes people just don't want to talk. If someone refuses access, don't assume they are meant to offend you!
   • Try to see failure as a bright spot, as an opportunity to learn and become better.
   • Don't be afraid, because no one will harm you. The worst thing that can happen is that they will say they are busy or want to be alone. It is not the end of the world!
   • Nobody watches or thinks about you except yourself. Don't worry about people laughing at you because they're both busy thinking about themselves.
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Part 2 of 3: Talking to strangers

1. 

   Show off easy and friendly. If you appear tense or serious when you start a conversation, you are immediately making someone else nervous. Even when you don't feel comfortable, make an effort to be relaxed and friendly so that the other person feels comfortable. This will yield better results and the conversation will last longer.
   • Eye contact. Instead of frantically playing with your phone, look around the room and observe the people. Make eye contact with people to see who is trying to talk.
   • Smile every time you make eye contact with another person, even if you don't intend to talk to them. This will help you practice non-verbal communication and increase your chances of having someone accept to talk to you.
   • Use body language. Relax your shoulders back, chest forward and chin up. The more confident you appear to be, the more people will want to talk to you.
   • Don't fold your arms across your chest. People may view the act of crossing their arms as a sign that you're not interested in a conversation.

2. 

   Communicate without words before you start talking to someone. The other person may find it odd when you start a conversation but give no indication that you are approaching them. Instead of approaching and starting a conversation suddenly, you should first communicate in nonverbal language. Make eye contact and smile to make connection before starting a conversation.

3. 

   Start with small interactions. You may want to get to know someone, but opening a conversation with heavy content will make others lazy to talk. If you're talking to someone you're completely unfamiliar with (not reacting to something you're both concerned about), start with small interactions. Instead of making a conversation by asking questions about your life goals, try starting by observing or asking them for help with something:
   • Well, the bar is crowded tonight. Maybe we have to tip more!
   • Cars today are terrible! Do you know what happened recently?
   • Can you plug in the laptop cord for me? The power socket is behind you.
   • What time is it?

4. 

   Self-introduce. After small interactions, you can ask for the person's name. The best way is to just state your name. This ritual will essentially make the person speak their own name. If he ignores your introduction, he's probably in a bad mood or he's rude. In either case, it's best not to keep talking.
   • Once you've finished your introduction, just say, "By the way, my name is." Say hello with a casual handshake if you are introducing yourself.

5. 

   Ask open-ended questions. If you just ask yes or no questions, the conversation will be very short. Instead, ask questions that expand your conversation instead of narrowing it down. For example:
   • "What are you doing lately?" instead of "Was the day going well?"
   • "I often see you here. What makes you come to this place so often? What's so good about this place?" instead of "Do you come here often?"

6. 

   Ask someone to explain something to you. Everyone likes to be seen as an expert in something. Even if you know a lot about what you're talking about, you should still ask them to explain it clearly. For example, if there is new news, you could say, "Oh, I read the headlines, but I don't have time to see the article at work today. Do you know the news content?" People like to talk more when they feel they can impart knowledge to others.

7. 

   Don't be afraid to disapprove. It is very important to find common ground in the conversation. However, real differences can establish a new relationship. Show the person you are trying to talk to about that you won't make them bored. Involve the person in the debate so that each side has their own opinion.
   • Keep the air of debate mild and cheerful. If you see the person starting to take the argument seriously, get back on track.
   • You need to create a natural conversation, not an argument.
   • Smile and laugh regularly during arguments to give the impression that you are happy to talk and not angry at differing opinions.

8. 

   Cling to safety topics. If you want to argue, you don't have to turn the conversation into an actual argument. A debate about religion or politics can lead to touch, but a debate over entertainment or football teams can be a pleasant and pleasant topic. Some examples of other safe topics include movies, music, books, or food.

9. 

   Let the conversation go naturally. You may want to continue talking about prepared topics. However, that will limit your conversation potential! To make the conversation go smoothly, you can try working towards a topic that is more convenient for you, but don't be too rigid. If the other person turns to a topic that you don't understand, acknowledge this. Ask them to explain it to you and enjoy the new learning process! advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Adapting to a specific situation

1. 

   Continue to talk softly as you begin interacting. Talking to people in line at the grocery store or in the elevator is a practical way to practice talking with strangers. You'll only be there for a short while, so you know the conversation won't last, and this will calm you down. When interacting, don't talk about topics too deeply. Keep the conversation light and observant: "Oh this elevator smells real disgusting"or" Please help me not get tempted to buy all the candies here! "

2. 

   Have fun in longer conversations. If you're in a coffee shop, bar, or sitting on a row in a bookstore, you have more time to talk. Try to enjoy this moment! Have fun and show off a funny personality that only close friends can see.

3. 

   Try to get to know someone more deeply if you are interested in having a relationship with that person. If you meet someone you like, ask a more personal question. Not only does this bring the new relationship closer, but it also shows the personality of the person you're talking to. You can even deepen the conversation to see if the person is right for you.
   • However, don't push the story too far. It is too early to ask someone if they want a baby on the first chat.
   • Instead, give a few details about yourself, and let the other person decide if they want to tell you more. For example: "I'm a true mom / dad's darling / true father's darling. If one day I don't talk, I'll feel like it".

4. 

   Having a professional attitude in business connection opportunities. You can meet someone who makes an impact on your business at a party. Or maybe you are attending a professional seminar. In any form of interaction, you want the other person to have the impression that you are confident and capable. Even if you are nervous about talking to people you don't know, just "pretend confidence until you succeed".
   • Don't tell rude jokes that are only suitable for bars.
   • Talk about the field you're working in. Let others know what you are doing and that you have the power to do so.

5. 

   Try to make a memorable impression throughout the interview. The interview is very important, but the conversation before and after the interview is just as important. The act of engaging the person who interviewed you in an informal conversation shows that you are the partner they are looking for. In addition, all interviewees often gave the same answer to a question. Their image begins to fade in the mind of the interviewer. Small chats can help you leave an impression that is not easily forgotten.
   • Share something special about yourself, such as: "I took a break from soccer to attend this interview, because this job is so important to me!"
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Advice

• Don't force someone to join the conversation. If the other person doesn't care, don't force them.
• If you decide to go to a new place or area yourself, tell someone where you are and when you plan to go home.
• If you use Facebook, check the event calendar to see what events will take place, as well as the location and timing of the event.
• Strive to be a friendly and approachable person. This will help you in future social encounters and interactions.
• You can use social networking sites like meetup.com that trigger interactions in the real world. You can find local communities that work for you and join social groups that make you more comfortable chatting with new people.
• It's important to feel good about yourself, no matter how awkward or awkward the situation may be. If you feel comfortable, things will be less embarrassing.

Warning

• You may come across some of the problems below, but the more you get over it, the sooner you'll realize that this is harmless:
  
  
  • You will not know what to say when approaching someone.
  • You can be quiet and be uncomfortable.
  • You may get nervous when you meet the first few people.
  • You have started the conversation smoothly, but then you stop and don't know what to say, until the atmosphere becomes calm and uncomfortable.
  • You will think, "This is too difficult! I better watch the movie".
  • Some people think you like them.
  • Maybe you will approach a bad person who can hurt you (be careful with this possibility!).
  • Don't be too pushy.
  • Forcing others to talk can be provocative, so be careful.