3 painless ways to expand your dating circle

1. Change something in your usual routine

Imagine your typical day. Most likely, you go from home to work in the same way, climb the same stairs. During the day, you dine in the same place, go to the same toilet. After work, stop by the same stores. It all becomes like stops on a train schedule. As a result, you see the same people every day.

Try to break this circle. Go to the toilet on another floor, buy coffee in another cafe, leave the car in another place. This is how you can meet new people.

In addition, we constantly automatically “filter” people. As soon as we meet someone, we immediately decide: "you are interesting" or "you are not interesting", "you are important" or "you are not important."

Think about which of your acquaintances seems the least interesting to you, and try to establish contact. Strike up a conversation or offer coffee together. Think about where to go or what to do to meet people you usually filter out. This will expand your social circle too.

2. Do not withdraw into yourself

In a state of stress, we ourselves narrow our social circle., we close ourselves and do not see our possibilities. We just don't want to make contact with people. How can this be overcome?

Scroll through the lists of your friends on social networks. Surely you will notice names that do not immediately come to your mind when you find yourself in a difficult situation. Write to these people.

It is also important to remind yourself of your strengths and your values. We often dismiss the advice of loved ones and heed the advice of unfamiliar people Tainted Knowledge vs. Tempting Knowledge: People Avoid Knowledge from Internal Rivals and Seek Knowledge from External Rivals. because we don't envy them or feel threatened by them. But when we remind ourselves of our skills and positive qualities, it is already easier for us to reach out to those who seemed threatening to us.

3. Do not limit yourself to simple "thank you" and "please"

Think back to the last time you helped a colleague. What did you say in response to gratitude, only "please" or "not for what"? You missed a good opportunity to expand your social circle. Renowned psychologist and writer Robert Cialdini advises to add after "please": "I know you would do the same for me."

It works the other way too.

When someone helped you, don't just say "thank you", add "Let me know if you need my help."

These phrases help strengthen relationships with other people, expressing your respect and willingness to continue communication.

Think about how you can be of help to this person now or in the future. Pay attention not only to what you can get from others, but also to what you can give them. This will help broaden and deepen your connections.