21 (Okay, Only 9) Ways to Make People Like You More

In lieu of my 21st birthday (this happened weeks ago) I tried to come up with some kind of creative post. Honestly, I couldn't think of anything that just struck me as appropriate. So I thought that I would come up with 21 ways that could help anyone be better thought of. These are NOT foolproof, and I cannot say that I myself am fantastic at doing all of them, but they are ways to be a sweeter person in general, and lots of people like sweeties. Right?

1. When complimenting someone, make an effort to emphasize the compliment rather than the fact that you are giving it. Emphasize the "you" and not the "I."
     This is something that I read in a Reader's Digest when I was 14 and has stuck with me ever since. Instead of saying "I like that dress," you could say, "You look really good in that dress," or "That is such a cute dress!" Apparently this makes the receiver of the compliment feel better about themselves!
2. Make people think it was their idea.
     This one I learned from 11-12-year-olds at camp. I would play volleyball with them, and kids would yell to each other, "Get over there!" and "Stop! You're in my spot!" After this went nowhere, I would say, "Hey so-and-so, do you think it'd be good to trade spots so you can cover for me better?" What do you know, the kid would do it. Maybe it was because I was a counselor, but I'd like to think it was because he thought he decided to do it.
3. Don't make exclusive plans in front of excluded people.
     I'd like to think this is an everyday nobrainer, but I fail at it so often, and so do a lot of people. If you are in a group of people, and you are planning to do something with one/some of them, don't talk about it in front of the rest of the group that is not included. It could hurt their feelings.
4. Try to be thoughtful at least once a month.
     This means putting someone ahead of yourself. This should happen more often than once a month, but people get busy and forget, so a once-a-month goal is a good place to start. If a friend or someone you know is stressed out because of school, make them some cookies. If someone's parking meter has run out, pay a dime to give them more time. 
5. Make eye contact.
     People like to know they are being listened to. Unless someone is seriously interrupting some of your major essay-writing or something of that sort, it's not a bad thing to stop doing something to look somone in the eyes while y'all talk.
6. Have a response question when someone asks you about your life.
     Don't hog the conversation, unless you're just having a really bad day. Then, feel free to tell them about it. But otherwise, having an interest in someone's life, or even just acting like it, can make someone feel important.
7. Laugh at jokes.
     Maybe you've heard it before. So what? Laugh. People love to feel funny, and they will love that you laughed at their funniness.
8. Remember things about them, so you can tell them how you thought of them.
     Know someone who loves Hugh Jackman? Tell that person about how you saw Hugh's blond look-alike that day.
9. Be happy with yourself.
     Because people like people who like themselves.
10. I may have run out of cool things to add into my list.
11. So I'm just going to cut it off at 9 real things to make people like you more. Maybe this is all my own perception, and these are all things I think are true but no one else agrees with. If so, carry on, I apologize for wasting your time.
12. Just kidding, I didn't waste your time because here's a cute picture that sums up how I feel about summer rolling in: