Want to know how to be more open person? Then you’re in the right place.
Being an “open person” can refer to many different things, many of which are beneficial. It’s a concept that doesn’t have a specific meaning, but usually involves a mix of friendliness, approachability, honesty, openness, tolerance and personal authenticity.
People who are “open” are happier, charming, popular and successful than those who are “closed.” While some people are naturally open, others can improve their openness through effort and awareness.
How To Be More Open Person:
1. Be truthful.
Deception makes people shut down in themselves.
Such people tend to lie to everyone around them to tell them what they want to hear. This effectively pushes them away from others because no one knows who they really are. To be honest with yourself and your beliefs, try to be open.
Don’t be afraid to express yourself, but don’t do it in an extreme way. Being pessimistic can make you seem closed off.
Remember that being withdrawn is sometimes acceptable, especially when dealing with people you are close to but don’t want to be, such as relatives and colleagues. If you are around people who may find contentious issues controversial, keep your thoughts about them private.
2. Share your thoughts with others.
Don’t hesitate to show who you really are. Being an open person involves maintaining open relationships with those who are important to you. Talk to a friend or loved one about what’s on your heart.
If something is bothering you, tell others about it. It’s easy to “go with the flow,” but talking about it is often the only way to make things better.
Avoid suppressing your feelings, which can be detrimental to both your emotional well-being and the relationship you’re trying to save. Be honest about how you feel and let your facial expressions reflect that. People who are more expressive are seen as likeable and trustworthy.
If you’re in a relationship that you seem shy, act more playful, casual and carefree if that’s how you feel.
3. Don’t hide key parts of yourself.
It’s very important to be yourself and realize that others need to know who you are. Don’t be shy about sharing your experiences, likes and dislikes. Don’t hide who you are unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
When it comes to something called self-disclosure, many closeted people have a problem with it. Simply put, self-disclosure means talking about yourself. Most people find it difficult to open up about embarrassing or uncomfortable things, even though it can help develop interpersonal connections.
On the other hand, some people are so closed off that they are unable to talk about personal facts that other people openly discuss. Don’t be shy about mentioning your favorite book or profession.
Should you care what others think if they judge you for it?
That doesn’t mean you should always be an open book. Carefully choose the people you share with, especially if your livelihood and safety are at stake.
4. Be open to being vulnerable.
You must allow yourself to be vulnerable in order to truly be open and yourself.
This means being able to communicate your fears, desires, and beliefs to yourself and others without fear of judgment or rejection. While being vulnerable can be scary at first, it will eventually allow you to develop stronger connections with people and feel more free to be yourself.
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5. Use self-disclosure more often.
Self-disclosure promotes trust because it exposes you to the other person in some way.
That being said, self-disclosure can be challenging, especially for people who have been hurt in the past. If you struggle with self-disclosure, start gently and gradually open up.
Start by being honest about topics about which few adults would pass judgment. Say something if you don’t like the movie you just watched. If a buddy asks you about your musical tastes, don’t be shy and share it.
You can start talking about more intimate topics once you get used to being open about superficial things. Spirituality, political views, philosophy of life, and personal attitudes toward others are all part of this.
For many people, it is common to limit self-disclosure to interactions with friends and family.
6. Recognize who you can rely on.
On the other hand, there is a limit to how open you can be about yourself. Opening up in excess can be detrimental to your life or you will simply discourage others.
This is mostly a gut feeling when it comes to whether personal self-disclosure is acceptable, but there are a few factors to keep in mind.
Always get to know someone before revealing any information you don’t want to make public. The best way to determine if a person is trustworthy or not is to spend time with them.
Keep the relationship on an even keel. Paying attention to what the other person reveals in front of you and mirroring it is a simple approach to assessing acceptable amounts of self-disclosure.
Of course, you’ll never get close to yourself if you remain absolutely equal. Just make sure that what you say is no more personal than what the other person said.
In general, it’s a good idea to keep self-disclosure in the workplace to a minimum (1). This is especially important if you are responsible for others.
Others may be put off by some of the ways you disclose yourself, and your employees may draw hasty conclusions. Your employees may think they are prejudiced if you disclose certain things, such as your religious views or political beliefs.
This reduces productivity and can expose your organization to legal action.
7. Promote a more open mindset.
Being receptive to new ideas and experiences is part of being open. By doing so, you will be able to communicate with a wider group of people.
Get out of your comfort zone and try new things, even if you think you won’t like them.
Your preferences may change over time. After a few years, try certain things again.
Don’t make quick decisions. Before you reject something, try to look at it honestly and impartially. You never know when your assumptions might be wrong.
Being open-minded doesn’t mean you have to accept everything without question. If something still doesn’t seem right to you after you’ve learned enough about it, follow your instincts.
8. Don’t judge others.
This goes along with being more open-minded in certain aspects. Always remember that other people’s experiences, views and tastes are often extremely different from yours. A person’s life story cannot be inferred from their appearance or even one conversation.
Always show respect for people, no matter who they are. Put yourself in the shoes of others and treat them as you would want to be treated in that situation yourself.
You never know what opportunities and friendships you will lose because you were too judgmental at the wrong time.
Remember, if you are quick to judge others, they will be just as quick to judge you.
SEE ALSO: How To Live More Modestly: [11 Life-Changing Ways]
9. Ask questions.
Make connections with others by asking questions and paying attention to their answers. People who regularly ask discussion questions (2) seem more sociable and approachable than those who don’t. Ask questions that inspire people to be more open.
The easiest way to learn new things is to ask questions.
When others are asked personal questions, they are more likely to respond with a similar question, allowing you to practice honest self-disclosure.
Also, asking questions can help you be more open and less judgmental of others. The more questions you ask, the more you learn about someone. The more you learn about someone, the less likely you are to make judgments.
If you don’t get a straight answer to your question, tell something about yourself as if you were the one asking the question. Being honest encourages everyone around you to be honest.
10. Consider why you may be perceived as closed-minded.
Many people, without even realizing it, behave in ways that convey apathy and disdain. Identify what you do – or don’t do – that makes you seem closed off, and try to do the opposite to appear more open.
Are you quiet and shy? Unfortunately, people often misinterpret shyness as arrogance. By talking to other people more often, you can try to change this assumption.
What does your body language say about you? Many people inadvertently give the impression that they are isolated. If you cross your arms, fidget, hunch over, avoid eye contact or rarely smile, you appear less friendly to other people.
11. Open people have different personality traits and temperaments.
You don’t have to modify the positive or neutral elements of your personality to be more open.
You can already be an open person in your own way if you are comfortable with yourself and have good interpersonal interactions. Being yourself has no negative connotations.
Don’t try to be open if you are an introvert. It can be tempting to push yourself to be more extroverted because many societies favor extroverts.
However, over time, this can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. Instead, establish a nice balance of social connections and stay it.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article about how to be more open person. I sincerely hope its contents have been a good help to you.
