Now that you’re all caught up, here are my top 5 suggestions that can help introverted people reap the benefits of socializing:

Decide how comfortable you are going out versus how often you feel obligated to socialize. If you’ve ever forced yourself to go out, because you felt bad that you’d isolated yourself for too long, you’ll be familiar with the sense that you “should probably go out, even though you don’t feel like it”.

Keeping a tally of every time you feel perfectly comfortable staying in and how many times you feel the “need” to venture out will help you get an idea of how many times per week or month you feel comfortable going out to social events and how often you’d like to stay at home.

Knowing ahead of time that you’ve prescheduled some alone time and some social time can make sure you don’t feel guilty when you stay in or over-stimulated when you go out. This way you make sure you keep a balance that’s both comfortable and healthy.

This is where the suggestions from this video come in handy. Introverts don’t feel as comfortable engaging in small talk with strangers.

So, if you’re one of those people, it’s important to make sure you have at least one or two deeper connections with people you already know that can keep you socially integrated. These people introduce you to other people from time to time and they can be your tether to the outside world, in a sense.

Make sure to keep these relationships alive and well by discussing substantial things together from time to time. Confining yourself to small talk with the people who matter most to you might burn those bridges, leaving you socially outcast.

If you’re looking for an in between solution that combines the openness of meeting new people with the safety of being around people you share a bond with, I recommend joining a club for any activity you enjoy. It can be anything, from book clubs to chess clubs, from attending a gym to joining a sports club.

The point is to meet up with people who share an interest with you. Clubs allow you to meet new people, share experiences and build relationships or simply do your own thing in the company of a likeminded group, depending on your level of sociability.

Another suggestion is to take a class. It’s along the same lines as joining a club, only you don’t already know how to do whatever it is you’re interested in. Signing up for an art class at a community college or a writing course at an adult education centre will teach you something new all while interacting with others, keeping your brain active and your heart happy.

Volunteering is also a great way to stay socially active and connected. It directly connects you to your community and can give you a feeling of accomplishment and purpose to boost! It's connected to the happiness we get when we show unconditional love to others. Because, as I explained in this video, it overrides our self-consciousness and allows us to focus on the bigger picture. Nuff said.

Try out these tips and if you’re still finding this advice hard to implement, ask for help in the comments below, send me a message, or book a FREE breakthrough session to see how I can help you through Skype.

You can find more Happiness Strategy videos on my YouTube channel, so subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode! I come out with a new one every single Sunday.

Until next time, remember: Happiness doesn’t require energy. It requires Strategy.