At one point in our lives, we all have where our social skills have failed us. Perhaps, you made a joke among friends and no one laughed at it or you couldn't relate to a popular trendy slang or hype used among your peers. Of course, this may seem embarrassing to you or even take a toll on your self-esteem but that doesn't mean you should hold back on being social. There's no cause for alarm, the embarrassment will most likely turn into an inside joke or even be forgotten. To be sociable, you don't have to change yourself. All you need is to work on your approach to things to avoid clashes with people around you and to improve how you're perceived. What exactly are social skills? Social skills are personal tools needed for successful communication and interaction among humans. If you've been feeling out of place anywhere you find yourself, developing your social skills can make you feel more relaxed, and improve your confidence, sense of belonging, and ability to collaborate at work. When you have excellent social skills, you will know how to;
✓ Start and hold meaningful conversations
✓ Ask for help
✓ Be memorable
✓ Communicate efficiently and effectively
✓ Make friends
✓ Set boundaries, etc.  

However, here's the thing, training your social skills can be quite difficult but you can do it and that's why in this blog post, I will be highlighting 5 simple tips on how to improve your social skills.

5 ways to improve your social skills

1. Practice effective communication skills: Be an active listener. People always want to know they are being heard. Also, have open body language, make sure you appear accessible, keep eye contact, and let the other party know that you are paying attention. This opens the door to more positive interactions. You don't have to be the one always talking, you can also listen to others and learn. 

2. Improve your emotional intelligence: Learn to empathize with others, put yourself in their shoes, and try to understand them, their emotions, and their perspectives. This will help you know how to respond appropriately in any situation or conversation. Learn more on emotional intelligence here.

3. Be polite: Have good manners, it goes a long way. Learn how to say "please" and "thank you", it makes people know that you value their contribution. Also, learn to respect other feelings, use humor carefully, aim not to cause any offense, and know the appropriate boundaries for different situations. This way you make others feel comfortable and appreciated around you. 
4. Start small: Are you the shy type or introvert who loves to keep to himself/herself? The sweet thing is you can still work on your social life skills and get better. All you have to do is start small. Start by conversing with family members or by spending time in a coffee shop, at events, seminars, etc. These little steps will help you ease into larger social settings and with time, you will start making new friends at your next social gatherings. 
5. Be current: So many conversations revolve around current events. To hold conversations with others, you need to read news, and books, watch and listen to the latest music, movies, events, and happenings, etc. This will help you keep up, stay in check, and always contribute meaningfully to any conversation. 

Final words
To some people, social skills don't come naturally. For example, individuals with social anxiety might have issues connecting and relating with others. Introverts or shy people who always like to keep to themselves might appear rude as such. However, no matter the case, social skills are important, and knowing how to improve on them to be your best self should be a priority as it will always help you and everyone around you. 

Dear reader, thank you for reading through❤. Do well to drop a like, comment and share, thank you ?.