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neurodiverse @hexbear.net

How can I be better liked in communities?

How can I be better liked in communities? I put myself out there, I go to hobby groups and various other social groups all the time, but it's really been feeling like most communities I'm in, at best, I'm someone you talk to for a bit until the people you actually want to see show up or can talk to you. Or if I'm in a group conversation, I'm slowly pushed out. That's if people talk to me at all. I rarely feel valued in any group, I mostly feel like filler. How can I be better liked?

1 comments
  • I'm coming from all and I'm not at all neurodiverse. I'm an extrovert and i usually fit well with groups. I read your posts and maybe i can help. It's hard to assess why by a few posts but i feel you're quite negative, which is understandable because of what you're going through. I wasn't going to post because i didn't think you would relate to what i was saying but another neurotypical posted as well so i figured, why not.

    I commend you for putting yourself out there, you seem to be doing great! Don't be so hard on yourself, your inner life reflects on your outer posture. Being so negative you might be choosing topics that are bringing people down, or your body language is putting people off or you aren't being a good conversationalist. Remember, people like to discuss common interests and having fun.

    You also seem intelligent, which is something you gotta tone down somewhat in social settings, in general. People just don't care about how smart you are, they won't be impressed and sometimes they might feel bad about themselves. Try to ping pong the discussion with questions about the topic or about the person you're talking to. If the conversation dies, try to think of a related topic that they'd be interested in or ping off something they said. Let people talk to you and show interest. Lead the interaction with your heart, not with your head. That means trying to develop the ability to feel your conversation partner and/or group and letting that feeling do the talking.

    Try to learn how to keep a solid eye contact (but don't stare people down, it's all about timing it and breaking it depending on how comfortable the person is) and be mindful of your posture and the way you dress. Now i know this is hell to some people, but if you can't look into people's eyes, try looking at their eyelids, or their nose bridge.

    Give people time to get to know you. Sometimes you just gotta be on the sidelines putting your best self out there so people get familiar with you. Try to be relaxed and later on confident. If you're nervous you will make the other person nervous and they won't quite figure out why they're nervous and will leave. Avoid getting too personal too fast. Telling too much about yourself off the bat scares people off. Like grabbing a book and telling a person the highlights of the story then giving them to read it. You're spoiling the adventure of getting to know you.

    When you address a group, remember to turn around to face different people as you speak, and not just facing the person who spoke with you last. That way you're including everyone in the conversation. Don't be afraid to share the floor and bring attention to other people who also wanna talk.

    I understand I'm telling you something that is difficult because you're neurodiverse, but i truly believe you can do it with practice and dedication and acceptance that you will fail many times in the process until you succeed, much like learning math or the piano. In particular because this goes against what you'd naturally find intuitive. But remember that this is an achievable goal nonetheless.