The key, however, is to ask open-ended questions . That is, ask questions that don’t have a simple “yes or no” answer.

It’s the difference between Do you like living here? and What do you think about living here? Or the difference between Where did you...

If you’re making an effort to be more social, there are going to be awkward moments.

If you only focus on avoiding awkwardness, then you’ll quickly give up on trying to socialize at all. And this is the opposite of what you want. So instead, I suggest you embrace the awkwardness

These days, there are apps to deliver everything from groceries to toothpaste to tacos. Combine this with services that let you stream more media than you could ever consume in a lifetime, and it’s easy to spend most of your time inside, at home.

• Shop for groceries in person instead of...

Next time you’re having a conversation, see if you catch yourself thinking about what you’re going to say next rather than focusing on what the other person is saying. You may be surprised how often it happens.

Generally, being aware of this tendency is enough to improve it. But if you’re s...

Wearing headphones says, “Please don’t talk to me, I don’t want to be bothered.” This is great when you don’t want your coworkers to interrupt you, but it’s terrible when you want to connect with people.

Putting away the headphones (or taking out the AirPods) opens you up to more social int...

Being funny is a great way to make friends. But not everyone is funny. At least, not everyone is funny all the time. Not everyone has that personality. And that’s okay. You don’t have to be funny to have conversations and build great relationships. There’s room (and need) for serious people in th...

When you’re trying to be more social, you should use “open” body language. Open body language signals to others that you’re interested in interacting with them.

So what does this look like in practice? Here are the key components:

• Uncross your legs and arms
• Stand (or sit)...

If you want to connect with people, however, you need to put away your phone. It will seem awkward at first, maybe even painful. But if you want to have a conversation, you need to first signal that you’re open to talking.

Putting away your phone sends a signal that you want to talk, and it...

But how do you listen? Effective listening is about more than just passively receiving information. Instead, you need to show the other person that you’re listening.

The following body language shows that you’re listening:

• Turning toward the person (don’t stare ...