Science says that humans are naturally social creatures, but often in real life, nothing about interacting with others feels natural. Even the most confident people can struggle with what to say, how to read a room, or when to jump into a conversation.

But according to Reddit, there are a handful of clever tricks that can give anyone a boost. When one user posed the question:

“What’s an actual psychological ‘cheat code’ you use in social situations that works almost every time?” responsefs flooded in, revealing simple strategies for everything from memory recall to dealing with an enemy.

The 15 tricks people swear by

1. Act like everyone loves you, even strangers

“I pretend everyone I meet is in love with me. I mean, not literally. I’m not a complete narcissist. But I’ll start conversations with strangers who give me a smile or a knowing look. Assuming they like me makes me feel more likable. I’ve made friends more easily in my 30s than I did at any other time in my life.”

2. Switch gears during times of anger by getting a ‘yes’

“When someone is angry, like irrationally, psychotically angry, get them to say ‘yes’ to anything. (E.g. Are you mad? Do you want help? Do you want me to give you space?) It engages a different part of the brain, and after that’s engaged, you can help them with problem solving.”

3. Visualize it going well

“Before I go to an event, I imagine the........

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