I was recently at a work function. I happened to be put on a table with other people my age. All of them were couples and I was the only single person. I had nothing in common with them: I was single, while they were engaged/married/married with kids. They were discussing buying homes while I still rent a tiny place that I barely bother to…
Read MoreWith the introduction of the internet, many websites have revolutionized our lives. For those with shyness or social anxiety, the best website that has been invented is Meetup.com. Meetup.com is a website that let’s people organize social groups and events, usually around common interests or activities. Popular interests or activities found on Meetup.com include: technology interest entrepreneurship hiking foodies (people who enjoy trying and critiquing new…
Read MoreIt’s Friday. You hear your classmates or coworkers talking about what they’re going to do this weekend. You can’t help but eavesdrop. You hear about their exciting plans. And then you think about your own: you have none. That night, you’re home alone. You’ve got no one to keep you company. No one to call. No one to text. Maybe you decide to call your…
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Eyes are the window to the soul, they say. That makes sense, because when you lock eyes with someone, it can be an emotionally powerful moment. When a newborn makes eye contact with its mother, it’s looking for love and care. When an ultimate fighter makes eye contact with his opponent inside the cage, he is looking to intimidate and scare. Eye contact is an important…
Read MoreYou’ve read the Social Shiners articles. You’ve practiced at work, school, with strangers at the supermarket, and maybe even with people you already know. You’re getting better and better and conversation and meeting people. The next step is to create an opportunity to see them again. What does “hang out” mean? If you are not familiar with the term “hang out,” it is an informal term (verb)…
Read MoreLet’s talk about “Small Talk.” Small Talk is defined by wikipedia as “an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed” (source). In other words, Small Talk is talk about nothing. Small Talk has several nicknames: shooting the breeze chitchat exchanging pleasantries idle chatter Let’s talk about why you need to use Small…
Read MoreAt the age of 18, I decided to change my life. I had no friends, no close relationships, and life was unfulfilling. I went to the library in the self-help section and read as much as I could about social skills. One of the topics that showed up across many books was open-ended questions. Conversation, to those who are socially inept like I was at…
Read MorePeople love themselves. For this reason, one of the most important tools you can learn and can help you gain favor with people is knowing how to give a compliment. Compliments, like many of the other tools you’ll read about in this site, are essentials parts of having social success. They make other people feel good about themselves and in turn, make them think better…
Read More“Are you angry?” I use to be asked this all the time as a kid. I’ve never been an angry person, so I thought it was strange. As I grew older however, I realized why: it’s because I never learned to smile in conversations with other kids. I was a socially inept kid, so I never talked to anyone. Sometimes when other kids would talk to…
Read MoreSo you’re socially inept. You have a hard time making friends. Your conversations are often awkward and forced. When you do have a conversation with someone you like, you find there to be a lot of pauses. Entering a conversation is a daunting task to you and exiting a conversation is something you have no idea how to even do. You can only dream of…
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