Just Smile ...
Work today can pretty much drive our lives, and its not surprising if we find ourselves spending our time doing tasks rather than interacting with people. Pandemic isolation of the last 2 years hasn’t helped as well! When you are so busy building a career, everything else can come second. But whether business or personal, interacting with people makes our lives richer, leads to more learning and growth. If you’ve never thought of this before or are being held back due to lack of social practice, then leveraging these social skills can help.
SMILE GENUINELY
A smile everyday keeps the mood light and gay. Smile when you’re sad, smile when you’re happy, just smile when you engage with people. It is one of the simplest and easiest things to do to build social capital, whether when interacting with relatives and friends or at the workplace, going out on a date or just engaging with someone online.
SPEAK & ENGAGE
Not all of us interact and engage with people. It can seem awkward to do it with strangers because most of us want a proper introduction before that happens. But speaking first actually takes away much awkwardness between people and you can be the first to do it. Begin with a compliment, share an opinion, ask the other person what they do. Even the smallest conversation can bring a smile on someone’s face and can be a great first impression.
LISTEN, REALLY LISTEN
When we engage, too often we’re stuck in our thoughts, preparing for what to say, how will we say it. What we don’t do is let the other speak, and we listen. Making a conscious effort to listen and respond, is not only about giving the other person respect but also makes for a richer conversation.
IMPROVE BODY LANGUAGE
The way you stand, sit and move can give very strong vibes on how welcoming you are, inviting people to be a part of conversations, to open up. When speaking to others, stand straight, arms open, using gestures to speak and verbalize your thoughts. Listen intently, nod and respond and you’ll find the engagement open and positive.
LOOK FOR THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THINGS
In conversations and engagements, its easy to find something negative and endlessly go on about it. That’s why it takes a concerted effort to focus on the positives – of the person, the place, the situation. Negative talk can attract negative energy, whereas making the most of what’s there, grateful for the interactions and people will attract more of it.
Social interactions today can build you as a person and build your brand value. Much of it starts from you, but much of your interaction depends on how you are; presentable, neat, well turned out. The most important part is your face and your smile, the way it lights up and shines through the conversation. If you need a hand at fixing your pearly whites, whether teeth whitening or a more customised smile design session for a date night or to transform your personality, visit us at Smile Station dental experience centre, at Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru (8908585089) or Indiranagar (9880157815) today.
