my top bit of advice going into the new year: compliment people. especially strangers. literally everyone you interact with if you can. when you buy coffee in the morning compliment the barista's tattoos. when you're chatting with a coworker tell them that by the way you like their outfit. always find something they've chosen to do on purpose. nail polish, jewellery, tattoos, hair colour/style, statement accessory, outfit, etc are all good bets. things people hope will be noticed. things that aren't too personal so it doesn't make them uncomfortable (eg probably not their physical features). i've gotten into the habit of scanning everyone i talk to for something about them that i think is cool so i can tell them. it's a great habit because it makes me notice people and realise just how many neat little details there are in people's presentation of themselves that might pass me by if i wasn't paying attention. and it brings out so much joy. you'd be surprised how much it disarms people to receive an unexpected compliment from someone they don't know. it is the most sincere smile you will see all day long. it feels nice to make people happy but it also means you win the social interaction. establish dominance by complimenting a stranger's earrings and disappearing into the fog
just wanted to add since a lot of ppl are saying they'd love to do this but they're socially anxious etc--that's actually why i started doing this! giving a compliment is basically a scripted lifeline in a conversation, especially one you can't leave. it's a great way to break the ice and it usually makes that person warm up and feel more comfortable chatting with you. sometimes they'll seize the opening as a hook (eg by telling you where they got the thing you complimented) which will save you fishing around for more small talk. if you're feeling awkward or you don't know what to say, it's usually a safe bet just to hop in with an aside like "by the way, i like your [xyz]!" doing this actively made me more confident in social situations and talking to strangers. bit daunting to start i concede but it's one of the safest conversational threads you can take. if you're an anxious person i can't recommend this enough
