Work on your self-esteem. This can be done with a number of different exercises, including creating a list that highlights all of your good qualities and reciting it every day, admiring one physical feature of yourself daily while looking in the mirror, even by wearing the outfits that make you feel good about yourself.
Help to increase other people's self-esteem. Using a few different tactics, you can help increase other's self-esteem, ultimately creating friends and increasing your people skills. These tactics include referring to people by their names, making eye contact, listening to them talk and responding with specifics, sharing excitement, expressing concern about certain situations, and asking for their opinion and actually listening.
Recognize other's emotions. By showing empathy for others, you learn how to put yourself in other people's shoes in order to better understand their problems and what they are going through.
Be assertive when communicating. By remaining honest and direct, you will be able to get through to others more than you would by being passive or aggressive. You will be able to keep your personal rights without denying them their own.
Ask questions. When having a conversation, it's hard to get it to go anywhere without questions. Questions should always be specific, having to do with the conversation at hand. Be sure to listen in order to let the person know that you are interested in what he is saying.
Listen actively. Respond to a question by incorporating the question into your answer. For example, let's say someone asks you, "What do you think about me getting involved with animal rights?" You would "actively" respond by saying, "I think it is great that you're getting involved with animal rights. With all of the cruelty and neglect going on, it's great that you're taking a stand." As you can see, the question was incorporated into the answer and then elaborated on. This lets the person know you are listening.
Smile. People are more easily approachable when they have a smile on their face as opposed to a serious look or even a frown. Smile often in order to catch the attention of others and make yourself feel more approachable.