How To Make Friends With An Extremely Shy Person: 14 Steps

This looks different from extroverted friendship—and that’s completely fine. Your version of rich social life respects your energy limits and need for depth. Shy people often watch others make friends Asiavibe quickly and assume something’s wrong with their slower pace.

• Starting small is the best way to ease yourself into socializing gently.
• Hailey Shafir is a licensed mental health counselor, licensed addiction specialist, and clinical supervisor working out of Raleigh, NC.
• When chatting to people try to use open questions to encourage discussion and if you get asked a question try to respond in a way that suggests you’re happy to continue a conversation.
• This gives you more time for you to get comfortable around everyone.
• The methods in this article honor your shy temperament while providing practical pathways to connection.

A Shy Person’s Guide To Making Friends At School

If you were shy, you might have stayed close to home to avoid possible threats. Take a moment to consider shyness from an evolutionary perspective. Since we are born, this beautiful bond undergoes a gamut of transitions. Vishakha Naware is a foreign language trainer, content and fiction writer and poet.

Step #7: Embrace The “shared Activity” Friendship Model

If this is true for you, it can help to focus more on the other person than yourself by trying to get to know them better. Do this by asking more open-ended questions, showing interest in what they say, and working to become a better listener. For example, a book discussion group at a local library, or a drop-in night at a board game cafe. The activity starts the conversation for you and gives you something to talk about. Even if you just stick to the topic at hand, you’ll still show bits of personality here and there and give people a sense of what you’re about.

Let’s explore proven strategies for making friends as a shy person—concrete steps you can implement immediately regardless of your location, age, or circumstances. Before diving into what works, let’s address why most friendship advice leaves shy people feeling more discouraged than empowered. It might seem pointless, but small talk is actually the first step in making deeper connections.

When you engage in a conversation, truly focus on what the other person is saying. Now, I suggest moving on to the second tip which is to use social networks to your advantage. Whether your passion is music, sports, reading, or something else, there are many local or online clubs and groups where you can get involved. Let’s address predictable challenges that arise when implementing these strategies.

Consider attending events that promote casual conversations, like community fairs or book signings. Isolation decreases in these environments, making low-stakes exchanges easier to initiate. Living with roommates can be a fantastic way to make new friends, especially if you’re moving to a new city or neighborhood.

” can lead to finding out you have more in common than you thought. One of the best ways to make friends is to put yourself where the people are. Joining a club, sports team, or even a study group helps you naturally meet others with similar interests—without the pressure of forcing a friendship. Shy people can find themselves with a small social circle, but it’s possible to add a couple of friends to your life without too much trouble. And, don’t forget, interacting with loved ones is another helpful way to sharpen communication skills.