Being a friendly and approachable person is a very important and coveted virtue. It opens up new opportunities in all of your social circles including your co-workers, your friends, and family. It is an essential soft skill to possess in the world of business. It adds to your charisma and the comfort that the people feel when they are around you. Here are a few ways to improve yourself to become more approachable and come across as a friendly person:

1)    Smile!

Smiling is the first step towards good socializing. You should make it a habit to smile when you see your co-workers or family members or general acquaintances.  Having a pleasant countenance will give a positive vibe to the people around you. They will return the favour by greeting you and that in itself is an excellent set up for a conversation.

2)    Have an Opinion:

There are a lot of things going around in the world and you should keep yourself informed about it. Have an opinion on every societal issue, political proceedings, etc. not only this, your taste in music or movies is also important. This helps you in mingling with new people and saves you from long awkward silences.

3)    Small Talk:

Small talk is not always regarded as the most important skill, but it goes a long way. Knowing how to strike a conversation with anyone often comes in handy. As mentioned earlier, having a little information about everything will help you find a subject of conversation and engage with them.

4)    Listen:

Being talkative isn’t the only quality of a friend. You should be able to listen to what the others have to say. You should be spontaneous and humane in your actions. Helping the old lady cross the road, holding the door, giving a warm hug to a friend in distress, these gestures are never old fashioned. Learn to read others’ body language and reciprocate appropriately.

5)    Share:

People find a friend in a person when they realise that they have something in common with them. Find that common ground, whether it is a hobby, a profession, or a pet peeve. This will lead to an instant connection between you. You should be ready to share things that are otherwise unsaid. Sharing an embarrassing story to a group of unknown people in a party won’t cause you any harm, you might just win their hearts.

6)    Be vulnerable and learn to laugh at yourself:

When sharing, you must not keep all of your insecurities a secret. You must show that you have a few weaknesses. People love to find a chance to heal a broken heart or tend to your fears. You must also recognize your shortcomings, the things that you can never change about yourself, and make peace with them. You should not feel bad when people make fun of your fat belly, or crack jokes about your height or call you stupid. You should have a thick skin and learn to take a joke in the right spirit. Always going on the offensive will only make it worse.

7)    Know when to talk and when not to:

A well-mannered person knows what is appropriate to be spoken in every circumstance. You should never get carried away and speak something you will regret. Making jokes is okay as long as they never hurt anyone’s feelings. That is what differentiates a good sense of humour from a bad one. In serious situations, keep the chatter low and speak only what is necessary. Keeping it short and simple is also important. No one likes a rambler.

Becoming a friendly and approachable person is difficult especially when you do not usually socialize. It will take practice and experience before you get better at it. But if these points are always born in mind, the task becomes easy. You just need to realise that people will respond in a friendly manner if you do so yourself and make that friends is one of the easiest things to do.