Good ways to meet new people?

My main issue is a shy personality and a lack of confidence (whenever I talk to strangers, I get so worried about how they perceive me, I often end up not taking to them at all). Instead of confronting my fears, I chose to avoid it. I disconnected myself from the outside world, replacing iit with a life around computers. This in turn made me very negative and further reduced my confidence (at one point I even turned to nationalism for self esteem/worth).

Instead of asking how to meet new people (or complain about it). I should look ay myself and say why I deserve to have friends. What initiatives I have taken to make friends. Guess part of who I am is that I always think about improving (and complain) but never actually do anything about it.

From now on, I will force myself to take the first step (actually already have). Who knows what might come of it but no matter what, I will keep a positive attitude.

I thank all who wrote sincere advice. Those who wrote silly ones were at least very funny .

JustSteve wrote: My main issue is a shy personality and a lack of confidence (whenever I talk to strangers, I get so worried about how they perceive me, I often end up not taking to them at all). Instead of confronting my fears, I chose to avoid it. I disconnected myself from the outside world, replacing iit with a life around computers. This in turn made me very negative and further reduced my confidence (at one point I even turned to nationalism for self esteem/worth).

Instead of asking how to meet new people (or complain about it). I should look ay myself and say why I deserve to have friends. What initiatives I have taken to make friends. Guess part of who I am is that I always think about improving (and complain) but never actually do anything about it.

From now on, I will force myself to take the first step (actually already have). Who knows what might come of it but no matter what, I will keep a positive attitude.

I thank all who wrote sincere advice. Those who wrote silly ones were at least very funny .

I hear how you feel --it is a vicious circle, really, isn't it?

---

except with the addition that often, no matter how much effort and patience I practiced, people had little interest in keeping our plans together, so I started to give up and re-isolate myself.

Working in a retail store helps meet new people

---

however, don't expect to find many of them compatible with you

---

just find a couple people who you get along with that would make good friends, and work on them day by day by saying Hi---and than starting conversations when you find something of similar interest.

but it helps with talking to strangers

---

to be honest, I am a bit more upfront now when the customers are frustrating....

taking your hobby along with you outside in public helps too----for example, drawing in a park. Once in awhile someone might stop and look at them, or start talking to you about it.

you know that gag from family guy with James Bond asking for sex?

fithy no and 1 yes means yes haha
but if you don't ask, it'll always be a no.

just keep it up, go work out, it'll boast confident for sure.

Getting lost in a public place. It forces you to talk to strangers. Sometimes you end up meeting some awesome people when trying to get directions

And meetup.com. I started using them when I first moved out to Cali. I didnt really know anyone out here before that site!

JustSteve wrote: My main issue is a shy personality and a lack of confidence (whenever I talk to strangers, I get so worried about how they perceive me, I often end up not taking to them at all). Instead of confronting my fears, I chose to avoid it. I disconnected myself from the outside world, replacing iit with a life around computers. This in turn made me very negative and further reduced my confidence (at one point I even turned to nationalism for self esteem/worth).

Instead of asking how to meet new people (or complain about it). I should look ay myself and say why I deserve to have friends. What initiatives I have taken to make friends. Guess part of who I am is that I always think about improving (and complain) but never actually do anything about it.

From now on, I will force myself to take the first step (actually already have). Who knows what might come of it but no matter what, I will keep a positive attitude.

I thank all who wrote sincere advice. Those who wrote silly ones were at least very funny .

If you want to gain some confidence to talk to people, an 'easy' and 'quick' way to achieve this is to travel. Travel alone and stay at hostels, and don't bring your laptop! Doesn't have to be across the world, but highly recommend it - Paris, Amsterdam, Rio, Laos, South Africa whatever. You can do this with a few clicks of a mouse button on your computer too. So you won't need to talk to sexy travel agents to set it up lol

Social skills are like muscles. To get stronger muscles you need to put stress it by lifting heavy weights. You can't expect to snap your finger and have massive biceps. You can't buy it either. The world works that way. You gonna need to work at it. You gonna need to be uncomfortable. When you are travelling, you do not have the choice to be 'comfortable' (as in comfortably antisocial playing games on your PC). Either you go out and do stuff, or you stay inside a hostel room with no TV / no PC knowing your money is going to waste. Guessing you would not take any social risks around where you live, or your workplace because you are afraid to be embarrassed and have a bad reputation. When you travelling, there is no concept of embarassment when you return. What happens, happens. You will never see anyone you encounter in a jouney, ever in your life (unless you ask for their facebook).

Good luck!