4 How to Approach Someone to Start a Conversation 1. Decide to like people Unless people give you a reason not to, assume that anyone you meet is likable and worth talking to. Popular people genuinely love meeting people. They enjoy getting to know new people and their default setting is "I love meeting people". Very often shy people assume others do not want to talk to them or that they will be criticized when they share their thoughts and feelings. In other words shy people often paint such a negative picture of others that it becomes almost impossible to approach anyone. Notice what is happening here. The reserved person is starting from an "I don`t like people in case they don`t like me" point of view. This negative outlook creates a barrier that stops anyone from starting a conversation - you or the other person. Popular people start off with a very different outlook - "I like you unless you give me a reason not to like you!"
