Past:

-Issues as child

-Depression 10+ years // ran from every social setting possible

-Realized I am in depression. Couple years ago

-Couple months ago. Started to seriously work on self-improvement

-Used reddit / books mainly to self-improve for couple months. Thanks redditors:)

-Started therapy recently. Getting help working on past issues and improving self. It's going great.

-I got out of my comfort shell quite a bit these last few months. I used meetup.com website. I jumped in a group of strangers 20+ at once over and over. I mean...talking to one person was tough enough, but I kept at it. Went out when usually I said no. Tried new things. etc etc

-I feel like I stopped improving lately. Meetup was a great starting tool, but now I want to take the next step

-I started to hang out with some guys I met at meetup. Great guys, but not just my type of group. I started to think, there are tons of great people out there not on meetup. I want to meet everyone.

As a social newbie, what do you guys advice I can do to start meeting new people? How to learn to conversate better?

I am asking for something to do rather than reading material and such. I have plenty:P

Thanks=)

edit: I have started to say hi here and there to strangers. I never know what to say. In meetups, it's not as awkward. You meet for a reason. You are there to talk, to play games or whatever the purpose of the meetup was. I start out by asking interests? What were you up to?

Then I rely on something that seems to...spark there interest. I learned this from a book. I find something they are into and talk about that. It's a great skill I am learning...but I have a tough time usually finding that. Also sometimes, they are done talking about it and it goes dead. I have no idea what to do next.

Strangers are different. I don't think I can just go up and say Hi=) What do you like to do? Seems strange ಠ_ಠ