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 Start Loving Life® Expert Connie Henriquez LOVES to teach people how to start loving life! Connie has a private coaching practice located in Woodbury, NY where she teaches kids & teens how to overcome anxiety, self-doubt and improve their self-esteem in as little as 30 days utilizing her signature "positive psychology" coaching system. For more information on how you can start loving ife®… check out her website at startlovinglife.com or call (516) 340-0378. |
| Growing up, I was super shy in social settings so I know how awkward it can be in new situations. In this "Conversation Starter" Guide, I will share with you the easiest, most simple ways you can become more comfortable AND confident in order to get a conversation started in no time! • BE HAPPY How YOU view yourself dictates how you feel and present yourself to the world. If you are shy, you probably have insecurities about yourself. The first thing you need to do, is remind yourself of all the amazing qualities that you possess and neglect to identify. As humans, we are always so quick to focus on our negative qualities, that we discount our good qualities. This is where self-doubt and insecurities come from. So, moving forward, practice positive thoughts and you will feel more confident and become more sociable. • SMILE Smiling is the EASIEST form of communication, yet so many people fail to do so. Think, how often do you see people in the world smiling? Not many right? That's because too many people are caught up not living in the present. Be a rebel and SMILE! Yes, there will be plenty of times you smile at someone and they don't smile back, but don’t let that prevent you from smiling. Instead, smile because it feels good and make someone's day. • BE OPEN (BODY LANGUAGE) Body language or what I prefer to call, "your personal energy" is your attitude combined with your body language. Are you open, smiling and making eye contact, or are you closed off, disinterested and avoiding eye contact? If you are closed off, people will avoid you. Not because they don't like you, but because you are giving the impression that you don't want to be bothered. However, if you look interested and inviting, you will find people are more drawn into a conversation and show interest in getting to know you. • ASK QUESTIONS Of course, always begin with an introduction: Hi! My name is (insert name here). What's your name? And handshake when appropriate. Once you are good with the first 3 steps, now is the time to take some action and ask open-ended questions. For example: Closed ended question: Do you like it here? This question can ONLY be answered by YES or NO so we avoid these questions as it doesn't promote further conversation. An open ended question: What do you like best about being here? This question encourages an answer that allows you to get to know the person and promotes further conversation. Questions should be natural. 1) taking an interest in the other person 2) being able to listen to their response 3) following-up with additional questions to learn more. • COMPLIMENT Paying a compliment is the easiest way to start a conversation. Pay attention to your surroundings, the people in it, and compliment whenever possible— #spreadthehappy. Complimenting on a piece of clothing or a sports team jersey is one of the easiest ways to strike up a conversation. Compliment and find a common interest. In closing, CONGRATS on reviewing the 5 Step Conversation Starters! With anything new, practice is KEY! Be kind to yourself and take each situation step-by-step. The more you practice, the easier it will become! For more tips on how your child can Start Loving Life®, check out startlovinglife.com. |
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