Four ways to turn strangers into friends

It’s funny you’re here reading through this article hoping to look up one or two tips to start off a conversation with a stranger. Really funny since you grew up having your parents caution you to avoid strangers. Doesn’t that creep you out? No?

Okay! Let’s just ignore that and carry on like that never crossed your mind.

You’ve been there, I’ve been there, seeing a total stranger and wanting to chat them up but also afraid to say the wrong things and therefore, holding our peace.

How many potential relationships have we lost this way? Enough of I do say so myself.

And that’s why we’ll be going over some basic tips to help you start up a conversation with any stranger (who’s hopefully not a serial killer fingers crossed).

• Go With The Flow

I say, go with the flow, meaning that they must have been some sort of flow for you to follow. What’s the first thing that pops up in your mind when you see this person? Don’t you dare say it out loud.

Take some seconds to analyse what your mind is telling you to say because you do not want to offend this stranger or worse, creep them out.

When you’re sure what you wanted to say is appropriate, get the attention of this stranger and say it. It could be a comment to something you both heard, on what you’re both witnessing etc.

Fingers crossed this works, and if it doesn’t, there are three other tips that might.

• Say Something Funny

People want to laugh more than they do on a daily. They may not know it, you may not know it, but it’s true.

When a person laughs or smiles, some relaxing non-stress hormones are released to the brain and the after-effect is awesome.

If you trust your capacity to be funny, make a joke. But please don’t overdo it. Leave out dirty jokes and try out wittier ones.

People are more receptive to a person who makes them feel relaxed and comfortable and making a person laugh or smile automatically makes it easier for them to trust you and enjoy your company.

• Compliment Them

You’d be shocked how much even the simplest of compliments mean to a person.

Compliment this person honestly. What I mean by an honest compliment is being truthful with the compliment and not just fabricating things which aren’t real just to make a person feel better.

There’s always even if it’s one thing about a person that’s compliment-worthy. Whether it’s their dressing, style, face, persona, smell, hair, smile, physical features, intellect, sense of humour, and a million other things worth complimenting.

Compliments will make a person smile and breaks down the walls people put up quite easily.

• Make An Unforgettable Gesture

This is quite tough but should you be able to pull this off, you deserve a bottle of wine (on you!).

Whether it’s opening the door for this person, paying for their bill, smiling at them, by making an unforgettable impression to a stranger, you’ll be more likely to easily converse with them.

Now that we’ve gone over these points, would you agree they actually work? Or am i just cruising? The comment section is open.