I’ll be the first to admit that I am a super awkward person. You’d never know just by looking at me, but I am. A lot of quirky people tend to give off an awkward vibe when they walk into a room or jump into a conversation with a group.
I’m not sure what it is about us, but we have a tendency to read into certain situations in a different way than others and then respond in a way that makes people raise their eyebrows at us in confusion. Hello, awkward!
While being awkward can be charming in certain situations, there are other situations where being awkward can make things so much harder for you – like when you want to pick up that hot person at the bar.
Lucky for us, being awkward isn’t something that we’ll have to live with forever. Most people outgrow their awkward stage by the age of 15, others keep that awkwardness well into their mid-twenties – or longer! If you want to ditch the awkward behavior and start being confident and assertive, here’s how to do it.
# Be sure of yourselfA lot of a person’s awkwardness stems from being uncertain and shy. So in order to not be awkward, be more sure of your actions and be sure of the things you say. Don’t blindly comment on a topic that you’re uncertain of because if you’re wrong, it’ll be awkward.
# Don’t interject in conversations immediatelyIf you overhear a conversation and think you may have something to contribute, don’t just jump in and comment on it. You’ll not only interrupt the person talking, but you’ll also very distinctly announce your presence and that could be quite awkward.
Instead, slowly walk up to the group of people and wait patiently while the other person talks. If you still feel that your comment is relevant, wait for a pause and then say it.
# Show up to events earlyThere’s nothing that makes a person look more awkward than showing up to an event very loudly and after everyone is already there. The attention will immediately be placed on you walking through the door and create one big awkward moment – not to mention what would happen if you tripped!
Show up either on time or 10 minutes early to an event to ensure that you won’t be starting off the evening on an awkward note.
# Keep your phone on you at all timesA cell phone to an awkward person is a life saver. Not only will you be able to have an escape if you’re stuck standing there alone, but you’ll also be able to use your phone for new topics of conversation as well. It’s like a buffer tool between you and your awkwardness.
# Don’t tell jokes to new peopleWhile it may seem easy to break the ice with a good joke, you’ll more than likely only make things more awkward. When you meet a new group of people, you never want to tell them a joke because you don’t know their personalities. You could end up offending someone or standing there laughing alone.
# Stop babbling and ask questions insteadOver-talking is a common mistake that most awkward people make. Instead of talking someone’s ear off, ask them questions about the topic they’re talking about and listen to them talk instead.
# Be friendly! People will forget all about your awkwardness if you’re friendly. Not only will it help people like you and ignore that part of you, but being mean can also induce a ton of awkward moments between you and other people. So always be pleasant!
# Forget about your awkwardnessNothing is going to make you feel or act more awkward than you thinking that you’re being awkward. Funny how that works, isn’t it? So forget about the fact that you’re awkward and go be yourself.
# Think about positive aspects of yourself
Dwelling on the negative awkward tendencies you have will only make matters worse. Instead, think about all the great qualities you have to offer people. You’re smart, funny, and kind – all of which stand out more than your awkwardness.
# Let the awkward silences be silent
Don’t be that person who breaks the awkward silence – especially by pointing out that it is, in fact, awkward. Just keep your silence instead and wait for someone else to bring up a new topic of discussion.
You’ll take any awkward attention off of you and the transition will be made much easier.
# Stick with a non-awkward friend all the timeDo you have a friend that is confident and seems to never have an awkward moment? Then stick with them as much as you can. Not only will they make you seem less awkward, but they’ll dissipate any awkward moments you have with their charm.