How To Make 2022 Your Most Outgoing Year Ever
The dream of remote work and all its cozy outfits, non-existent commutes, and heavy doses of cat time has, for many of us, turned into the reality of, well, work.
The benefits of this work-from-home lifestyle can be many, but there are potential downsides, too. That convenience which we love, for example, is also leading more remote workers to report being lonely. As the Atlantic notes, too, switching to Zoom forever might be convenient, but it’s a recipe for loneliness.
Work, which is often our main source of connection with people, thanks to office pop-ins, after-work drinks, and Fantasy Football leagues (and subsequent tauntings), changed forever during the pandemic. That means if you’ve ever relied on work as your social outlet, you may need to change how you go about socializing.
For those of you who still find yourself working mostly remotely and those who want to begin making more friendships outside of work, we compiled a few great ways to help you feel even more confident in 2022 as you work on meeting people outside of the office.
4 Ways To Step Out On Your Own In 2022
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Ask For Friends Of Friends - Getting to know new people doesn’t have to be like cannonballing into an icy pool. Like Very Well Mind suggests, dip your toe in by asking your coworkers, classmates, and friends if they’d introduce you to other people.
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Ask More Open-Ended Questions - Part of creating more relationships is turning regular conversations into memorable ones. Social Confidence Mastery has the idea to use open-ended questions that help keep the conversation going, getting people to share more about themselves in the process. For starters, try “What was the best part of your weekend?” instead of “Did you have a good weekend” .
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Overstay Your Welcome - Well, not entirely. If you start to feel nervous, embrace that feeling. Soon, it won’t stand out and you’ll find you’re better able to be comfortable. Social Pro Now compares it to having a bucket of nervousness - and the longer you stay put, the more your bucket empties.
- Tell Us About Yourself - Most people like to talk about themselves. Ask them the right kinds of questions, and they’ll really open up. But try not to get upset if they don’t return the favor. Instead, sprinkle in small things about yourself. This will help conversation feel livelier, and you’ll also be giving more details for your new friends to recall later on.
For as good as it can feel to take on these challenges, it can help to have a real reward to work toward, too. To push yourself to take the reins in 2022, we recommend our Get Out There IRLA Pack!
What about you? Have the last few years changed your outlook on where you look for friendships?