10 simple-yet-effective tricks you can use to make people like you more, even if they used to hate you

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:36 pm

Everybody wants to be liked. Really, who doesn’t? When we are well-liked, not only do we have more friends and contacts, but we are able to get away with so much more.

The thing is, not everyone will like you and not everyone is likeable. If you think you’re not likeable enough, yet you dearly wish to be, here is how you can go about making people like you. Don’t worry, sometimes, a minute tweak in behaviour is all you need, so don’t go for plastic surgery to make yourself look friendlier or something, okay?

Laugh at yourself
Be able to take a joke. Of course if it goes way overboard, you are always welcome to defend yourself. But if it isn’t a malignant joke or one that will hurt you in any way, then be a sport and laugh it off without any retaliating remarks thereafter.

Be flexible
People who are adaptable and versatile tend to have a lot of friends. Why? Because they are able to make themselves comfortable in any situation. When the people around feel at ease being with you, naturally, they will take a liking to you. So be cool.

No one is perfect
Admitting that we are flawed makes people more attuned to us because we feel more human. You don’t have to go around playing the victim or making yourself seem more vulnerable than you really are, but just by being honest about your strengths and weaknesses will make you more approachable and likeable.

Be sincere
It doesn’t matter if you are showing concern or being happy for someone, always be true. You may not know this but people can sense if you are just putting up a façade or if you are the real deal. Those who are genuine in their emotions and feelings tend to be very well liked so keep this in mind.

Be humble
We are only human. Thus, when we feel we have achieved a certain level in life, we think we are above everyone else. When you have everything and yet remain humble, that’s when those around you will notice you and like you more. Look at David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, two very successful men in their own rights who have everything anybody could ever wish for but yet, are so very down-to-earth. Even if someone didn’t like them for their sport performance, they will still like them for the people they are.

Be helpful when you can
Extend that helping hand to whoever may be in need if you can. Even a simple gesture of helping your colleague grab their printed copies from the copier can make that much of a difference. You don’t have to go out of your way to do things for everyone if you can’t but when you can, a small kind act can make someone’s day and earn you a friend.

Listen more
As much as people who like to communicate are likeable, there must always be a good balance. Always remember that in a conversation, there has to be someone talking and someone listening at any one time and the roles have to be reversed to avoid boredom. Those who are able to talk and then listen genuinely are well-liked and tend to have many friends.

Ask questions
No question is a stupid question so if you are in doubt, it is okay to ask. Nobody will think you are a fool and they may, in fact, respect and like you more for it. We don’t have all the answers to everything so being clueless about certain things is definitely understandable and being humble enough to ask for answers is a very likeable trait indeed.

By the way, you know what they say about successful people, right? Successful people, contrary to popular beliefs, do not become successful because they give the right answers. They become successful because they ask the right questions.

Be tactfully honest
There are times when you feel like you need to tell a white lie. Don’t. Being honest can do you good in the likeability department. When you are tactfully honest, people automatically assume that you are a dependable and mature person who is easy to communicate with without the worries of having to deal with drama. This will result in a wider circle of friends.

Be mature
Basically, be mindful about the things that are happening around you and approach them with maturity. Talk, think and act like your age, be as drama-free as possible and you will notice more and more people liking you, wanting to be around you more often

Top Image: Nonwarit / Shutterstock.com