Take an active interest in other people. Find out what your friends and acquaintances are really interested in or enjoy talking about. As a general rule, people love to talk about themselves, and they will appreciate getting the chance to tell you about their interests and passions. Remember to ask lots of questions and really listen to their replies so that you can have a deeper and more enriching discussion. Examples of questions to ask: * What’s something you couldn’t live without? * I see you’ve got the His Dark Materials series in your bookshelf. I used to be obsessed with those! What did you think of them? * What are some of your favorite things to do around this area? * The other day I overheard you talking about your metalworking class. Can I ask you some really basic questions about the whole process? I’ve always wanted to try my hand at it, but don’t really know where to start. * I loved that amazing photo you posted yesterday—how long have you been scuba diving? Try to assume the best in people. Avoid being rude towards or dismissive of other people, even if they aren’t behaving very nicely towards you. Try to imagine what may be causing their behavior. If you remain collected and cordial, it will be difficult for others to develop a major dislike towards you. Remain cool, calm, and collected. This will earn you a lot of respect, especially if you are the only calm person in a stressful situation where everyone else is upset or panicking. In many cases it helps to develop a lighthearted sense of humor. Instead of grumbling or moping about an unavoidable or unsolvable problem, try to laugh at it with other people. Example: A thunderstorm makes it impossible for you and your teammates to practice soccer. Response: “I guess the weather gods prefer football!” Example: You and your friends are stuck in a traffic jam. Response: “Good, I needed a nap anyway.”