I have a close friend, she feels since college (which she graduated in 2011), she's become 'less social.'

Everytime in a social situation, she tells me 'I feel like I only talk about myself...'

She then comments that I seem to engage more with other people, including strangers.

Here's the secret (as you said Hive account@itissimple), ASK QUESTIONS

At the restaurant I went to yesterday, a young girl came up and offered to make my daughter a balloon animal.

How did I engage with her? ... very naturally and sincerely asked: 'How'd you learn to make balloon animals? How long did it take? Do you want to become an entertainer? Dumb questions like that, but she appreciated I listened and cared even though I'll never see her again.