For those who feel socially awkward, I think one question you can ask yourself is: Do I like MYSELF? Not the conceited 'like,' but you like and accept yourself for who you are. If you have a shame-based personality, or kinakahiya mo ang sarili mo, or you feel you are a mistake for being in this world, then you'll fear rejection big time, that you wouldn't even dare make an eye-contact with someone. Sometimes, people like these have a very low self esteem. The first step is to learn to accept, like, and love yourself, because you are a worthy person, you just don't know it, or nobody showed you that you are.
For others naman, they just lack social skills which can be learned like what others already did. I suggest reading Dale Carnegie's book, "How to win friends and influence people." Socorro Ramos, in one of the seminars I attended, shared that this is her favorite book (or one of her faves, forgot). Syempre ako naman, basa agad.
Also, I learned, can't remember from where, that great conversationalists are not the talkative ones, they are not those who loves to talk about themselves, rather they're the people who expresses interest and talks about the person they're talking to. So yeah, they're interested in people.
Others naman are confined sa family and home or work, like me, LOL! My only social lives are graduate school and prayer community every Sunday. Syempre priority muna ang chikiting. When my daughter's world stopped revolving around me, rachada ulit ang organizations ko. BTW, I'm an introvert too.
I know the kind of friends I'm comfortable with: soft-spoken, not loud, at hindi nangungutya or nanchichismis ng ibang tao.
I'm also yearning to make new quality girlfriends, kaya lang hirap talaga with my present lifestyle. Couldn't even attend our weekly caring group meeting.
