How to Be an Open Person
Be honest., Let people know what you think., Don't wall off important aspects of yourself., Practice self-disclosure more often., Know who you should trust.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be honest.
Some people are closed off through deception.
They have a habit of lying to tell everyone around them what they think they want to hear.
This closes them off completely, since nobody knows who they really are.
To be open, do your best to be honest about yourself and your opinions.
Speak your mind, but try not to do it in a hurtful way.
Being negative can also make you seem less open.
For example, if you dislike a band, you might say "They're not my thing" instead of "They're horrible." Remember that sometimes it's appropriate to be tactful, especially when it comes to people you're close to but not by choice, such as family and coworkers.
Keep your feelings about controversial topics vague if you're among people who may think them offensive. -
Step 2: Let people know what you think.
Don't be afraid to show your authentic self.
Being an open person means keeping up open communication with people you care about.
If something is on your mind, talk to a friend or loved one about it.
Let people know when something is bothering you.
It's sometimes tempting to "go with the flow," but speaking up is often the only way to improve a situation.
Avoid suppressing your emotions, which can be dangerous to both your emotional health and to the relationship you may be trying to preserve.
Be open with how you feel and let that extend to your facial expressions.
People who are more expressive tend to be perceived as more likable and trustworthy., It's important to be yourself and to do that people need to know who you are.
Don't be too guarded about your experiences, likes, and dislikes.
Don't hide who you are without a good reason.
Many closed-off people have trouble when it comes to something called self-disclosure.
Self-disclosure is simply talking about yourself.
Self-disclosure about embarrassing or painful topics is difficult for most people, but it also helps to strengthen interpersonal relationships.
On the other hand, some people are so closed-off that it's difficult for them to mention details about themselves that most people talk about freely.
Don't be afraid to mention your favorite book or what you do for a living.
If people are going to judge you for it, should you really care what they think?This doesn't mean you should be an open book at all times.
Be selective about who you share yourself with, especially if your livelihood and safety is on the line. , Self-disclosure builds trust because, in a way, you make yourself a little vulnerable to the other person.
Because of this, self-disclosure can be very difficult, especially for people who have been hurt in the past.
If you have trouble with self-disclosure, try going slowly at first before becoming very open.
Start by being open about things few adults would judge you about.
If you dislike a movie you just saw, say so.
If a friend asks you what type of music you like, feel free to share.
Once you've gotten used to being open about surface matters, you can start talking about more personal topics.
This includes things like your spirituality, political views, life philosophy, and personal feelings about others.
For some, it may also include health problems, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
For many people, it's normal to keep this type of self-disclosure to conversations with friends and family.
For very serious intimate relationships, you may even choose to share painful things about your past.
This form of self-disclosure can help heal past trauma., On the other hand, there is such a thing as being too open about yourself.
Too much self-disclosure can be detrimental to your life or simply turn people off.
Knowing when intimate self-disclosure is appropriate is mostly a gut feeling, but there are still a few things to keep in mind.
Always get to know people before disclosing any information you aren't comfortable with being public.
Spending time with them is the best way to figure out whether or not they're trustworthy.
Keep yourself on roughly equal footing.
A simple way of gauging appropriate levels of self-disclosure is by paying attention to what the other person shares with you and matching it.
Of course, if you stayed completely equal, you'd never move closer.
Just be sure what you're sharing is only slightly more personal than what the other person has told you.In general, it's a good idea to keep your self-disclosure at work at the surface level.
This is especially important if you manage people.
Some types of self-disclosure make others uncomfortable and your employees may jump to conclusions.
If you disclosure certain things like your religious beliefs or political opinions, your employees may think they're being discriminated against.
This hurts productivity and may even open your company up to a lawsuit. -
Step 3: Don't wall off important aspects of yourself.
-
Step 4: Practice self-disclosure more often.
-
Step 5: Know who you should trust.
Detailed Guide
Some people are closed off through deception.
They have a habit of lying to tell everyone around them what they think they want to hear.
This closes them off completely, since nobody knows who they really are.
To be open, do your best to be honest about yourself and your opinions.
Speak your mind, but try not to do it in a hurtful way.
Being negative can also make you seem less open.
For example, if you dislike a band, you might say "They're not my thing" instead of "They're horrible." Remember that sometimes it's appropriate to be tactful, especially when it comes to people you're close to but not by choice, such as family and coworkers.
Keep your feelings about controversial topics vague if you're among people who may think them offensive.
Don't be afraid to show your authentic self.
Being an open person means keeping up open communication with people you care about.
If something is on your mind, talk to a friend or loved one about it.
Let people know when something is bothering you.
It's sometimes tempting to "go with the flow," but speaking up is often the only way to improve a situation.
Avoid suppressing your emotions, which can be dangerous to both your emotional health and to the relationship you may be trying to preserve.
Be open with how you feel and let that extend to your facial expressions.
People who are more expressive tend to be perceived as more likable and trustworthy., It's important to be yourself and to do that people need to know who you are.
Don't be too guarded about your experiences, likes, and dislikes.
Don't hide who you are without a good reason.
Many closed-off people have trouble when it comes to something called self-disclosure.
Self-disclosure is simply talking about yourself.
Self-disclosure about embarrassing or painful topics is difficult for most people, but it also helps to strengthen interpersonal relationships.
On the other hand, some people are so closed-off that it's difficult for them to mention details about themselves that most people talk about freely.
Don't be afraid to mention your favorite book or what you do for a living.
If people are going to judge you for it, should you really care what they think?This doesn't mean you should be an open book at all times.
Be selective about who you share yourself with, especially if your livelihood and safety is on the line. , Self-disclosure builds trust because, in a way, you make yourself a little vulnerable to the other person.
Because of this, self-disclosure can be very difficult, especially for people who have been hurt in the past.
If you have trouble with self-disclosure, try going slowly at first before becoming very open.
Start by being open about things few adults would judge you about.
If you dislike a movie you just saw, say so.
If a friend asks you what type of music you like, feel free to share.
Once you've gotten used to being open about surface matters, you can start talking about more personal topics.
This includes things like your spirituality, political views, life philosophy, and personal feelings about others.
For some, it may also include health problems, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
For many people, it's normal to keep this type of self-disclosure to conversations with friends and family.
For very serious intimate relationships, you may even choose to share painful things about your past.
This form of self-disclosure can help heal past trauma., On the other hand, there is such a thing as being too open about yourself.
Too much self-disclosure can be detrimental to your life or simply turn people off.
Knowing when intimate self-disclosure is appropriate is mostly a gut feeling, but there are still a few things to keep in mind.
Always get to know people before disclosing any information you aren't comfortable with being public.
Spending time with them is the best way to figure out whether or not they're trustworthy.
Keep yourself on roughly equal footing.
A simple way of gauging appropriate levels of self-disclosure is by paying attention to what the other person shares with you and matching it.
Of course, if you stayed completely equal, you'd never move closer.
Just be sure what you're sharing is only slightly more personal than what the other person has told you.In general, it's a good idea to keep your self-disclosure at work at the surface level.
This is especially important if you manage people.
Some types of self-disclosure make others uncomfortable and your employees may jump to conclusions.
If you disclosure certain things like your religious beliefs or political opinions, your employees may think they're being discriminated against.
This hurts productivity and may even open your company up to a lawsuit.
About the Author
Sarah Scott
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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