Say their name

The sweetest sound in any language is one’s name

People are very diverse but there are a few universal truths. Everyone wants to feel understood. People need to belong. Nobody wants to be ostracised. If you can make someone feel understood, they’ll like you. The more you do it, the more they’ll like you.

Try this exercise - Think about a person you love. Think about their interests and their goals. Specifically think about the things they value that you don’t. What do you do when they talk about those interests? Shut them down? No. If your relationship is healthy and you’ve had enough time together, you’ve tried to empathise and maybe even get involved in what matters to them. It’s why they love you.

There’s a lot more to say here but I’m keeping this one short - say a person’s name when you talk to them. Say it a lot! Do it enough that it feels awkward and forced, because it will be at first. Let them know that you know them. There are no downsides and you can’t do it enough to ever come off as obnoxious (who doesn’t love hearing their name?)