^The pandemic has compelled us to go online in recent years. We could only conduct business online since physical meetings were not permitted. Some of us found it unbearable, while others benefited, making most of whatever was available in the form of a company.

We are progressively being asked to leave the safety of our virtual world and speak with actual words rather than emojis and GIFs now that things are more-or-less under control once again. So we can understand how some people would find that adjustment challenging.

Walking up to strangers can be intimidating and nerve-wracking. But with some practice and a few tips, you could meet new friends at every turn.‍

Learn the Three W's (Why, Where, and When) of talking.

The Three W's of Talking to Strangers—why, where, and when—help set the stage before delving into the specifics of how to approach someone you don't know.

• Why? Find out why you want to talk to people you don't know.
• Where? Go where people are to talk to them.
• When? Use a stranger's body language to know when to talk to them.

Instead of thinking you need to connect with dozens of people or businesses, focus on connecting with just one. Once you've reached that goal, you might feel more confident to go on and talk to someone else. If you have a list of people who will be there, you can be even more specific about your goal.‍

Gain Connection Early

If you're shy or quiet, the best time to show up at an event is at the start. Fewer people are in the room during the pre-event period, so you can speak without being interrupted. Also, as the room fills up, everyone is looking for someone to talk to. 

When you make one great connection early on in the night, you'll gain confidence and meet more new people as the night progresses.‍

Icebreakers! Pick Yours

Having a few icebreaker questions or topics ready can help you feel more comfortable when talking to someone for the first time. 

Among these topics are how they heard about the event, how long they've been with the organization, what they enjoy doing around town with their family, or what's exciting for them in the future. 

Try to engage in a natural conversation with your conversation partner instead of focusing solely on their work. Doing so leaves a lasting impression, learns what makes the person tick, and gets to know them better.

Here are a few examples of icebreakers:

1. How many countries have you visited?

2. What would be your dream place to live if you had the choice?

3. Do you have a favorite TV show?

Make A List

Make a list of questions you can always ask to get you through the first few minutes of the meeting. No one in the world doesn't like talking about themselves. 

Find out what brand they work on, and tell them what you know about their company. Then, tell them why you like their product if you use it. This gives people a chance to tell stories, which is a great way to find things they have in common.

Keep It Going

The best way to build a long-lasting relationship is to become a mentor or mentee. The benefits of mentoring in business are many, including avoiding too much formality in the relationship. In addition, you can be honest with the other people involved by revealing your flaws and goals.

The fear of not knowing what to expect makes some people afraid to seek advice or assistance from others. Mentoring also helps you to understand the next generation better. The importance of building strong relationships below you is just as great as it is for those above you. In your role as a mentee, you will benefit from the advice and objective viewpoint of someone you trust and respect.‍

Closing Thoughts

There's no doubt that a strong network can help your business, and it works both ways. So, if you're stuck, look for ways you can help your peers. With that simple action, you're already social networking in the best way possible.

Do you feel better prepared to network now that you have the tips? What is one tip you can easily implement from this article? Let us know in the comments below.

^You are here means you are ready to embark on this journey. The best way of experiencing meditation is actually to do it, not just talk about it. Meditation isn't always easy; some days, it's going to feel easy, while others might feel hard. But, no matter how uncomfortable it feels, you just need to stay with it every time. 

Your emotional wellbeing and overall health can benefit from meditation. It can bring you calm, peace, and balance. As a relaxation tool, you can refocus your attention on something calming when you're stressed. Mediation can also help you stay centred and find inner peace. Meditation might help you find the perfect work life balance if you work continuously. 

The most important thing is that you set yourself up in a place where you will be comfortable. You can either lie down or sit up. You definitely don't have to be sitting cross-legged on the floor. 

‍Let's Begin

We're going to open our eyes and keep their gaze soft, just aware of the space around us. Now that you have your eyes softly focused, take a few deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, notice how the lungs fill with air, and the body expands.

As you exhale, notice that your body softens. Inhale through your nose one more time. And this time, as you breathe out through the mouth, if you'd like to, just gently close the eyes. Let's just enjoy and appreciate the feeling that we've stopped and have nothing to do, nowhere to go.

‍Take a Moment to Feel Changes in Your Body

Notice the feeling of weight—the weight of the body pressing down against the seat or the floor beneath you. And take a moment as well just to notice your surroundings without looking around, just noticing the different sounds, not trying to shut them out. 

And use this opportunity as well just to notice how the body feels. We rarely pay attention to how our bodies feel. So is there a feeling of heaviness or lightness in the body? Is there a feeling of restlessness?

And as you bring your attention to the body, just starting to become more aware of that feeling, that movement of breath in the body. So, therefore, there is no need to breathe in any particular way.

Just allow the body to do its own thing. Some people feel the movement of breath in their chest, their shoulders. For some, it's in the diaphragm, and for some, it's in the stomach. Put your hand gently on your belly to feel that rising and falling sensation. Because you can't feel anything, you can't feel any movement.

"Meditation is not a way of making your mind peaceful. It is a way of seeing the peace that is already there." - Vimala Thakar

‍Put an End to Your Wanderings

Again, thoughts are going to pop into your mind. The mind's going to wander. Just notice when the mind's wandered off, and just gently come back to the breath. To begin with, we're just noticing the breath in a very general way and perhaps starting to notice whether the breaths are long or short, deep or shallow. And we might find ourselves thinking either about the exercise or other things, just realising when that's happened, let those thoughts go, and come back to the breath again.

The body knows how to breathe—not getting involved in any thinking, just allowing the thoughts to come and go. If you notice your mind has wandered and you want to bring it back to the breath, gently bring it back.

So we'll stay with that feeling, a rising and falling sensation, for a few moments longer. And then, just for a moment now, let go of any focus, even of the breath now, and for a few seconds, let your mind wander.

‍Put Your Mind at Ease

So your mind’s been wanting to think, you can let it think now. Just allow it to do whatever it wants to do. And now, just gently bring the attention back to the body. Just coming back now to that feeling of weight, that feeling of contact against the seat or the floor beneath you.

Perhaps noticing the sounds around you again. And whenever you feel ready, you can just gently open your eyes again. But before you move, just take a moment to notice how you feel in your mind body soul. The more often we do this after meditation, the more we're reminded of how much we need to pause in our life to take this time out for ourselves.

‍One Final Piece of Advice

If you can resist any temptation to analyse what's happened, the benefits, or anything else, just know that taking the time it's making a difference. But remember, before you get up, just remind yourself to take this satisfaction and sense of well-being with you into your life.

It is important to take time out, be still, and be silent to live a happy healthy life. And there are real benefits to that, but what really makes meditation valuable is how it influences our everyday life, relationships, and experiences.