It can be as easy as this

Today’s networking, relationship-building lesson – and it’s a quick one.

To all you introverts who find it easier to work on your projects in solitude and keep to yourselves; to all you hard-at-work workers who have your eyes glued to your screens, your butts glued to your chairs, and your To Do List’s top-of-mind at all times; to all you sofa-loungers who’d rather watch another episode of whatever-you’re-currently-watching or get lost in the Internet and social media; and to all of you who move only in a very predictable and rarely-changing circle of family and friends, my advice to you is:

Step away from your comfort zone and muster up the courage to talk to people. And that can be new people, people you haven’t talked to in awhile, or even people you’d like to meet and know better.  Here are some easy ways:

• Walk your dog and talk to other dog walkers or passers-by
• Strike up a quick, easy conversation in line at the coffee shop or grocery store
• Ask someone how their day is going
• Go to the gym and commend someone for their hard work
• Invite a neighbor over for tea
• Say hello to your seatmate on the plane
• Write a note of gratitude – even if it’s out of the blue
• Go to a social or networking event and set a goal of meeting three new people
• Pick up the phone and call someone you’d like to meet
• Join a class or club

Whatever works for you. Just for, Pete’s sake, don’t expect wondrous things to happen to you if you stay stuck in the ruttiness of work, routine and self-absorbed, same-old-same-old solitude.

That is all.