How to make new friends
All people are loners at some point. The only question is how long will it take to make and keep friend a new. Are you willing to sit around and let faith decide the outcome or start making new friends now?
As intimidating as it might be, sooner or later you will have to know how to make new friends. Such a skill will give you an advantage in life as it will be easier for you to get along with people and you will be more likeable. Although making friends is great, in some cases you might be looking for ways to avoid being just friends. However, this is a more specific case. Knowing how to make other people like you will without a doubt help you in all the areas of your life.
Ways to make new friends
1. Overcome fear
2. Start in the comfort zone
3. Leave your house
4. Have faith
5. Be open towards differences
6. Invite people
How to Make Friends with the People You Just Met and How to Meet New People Who Could Become Your Friends in the Future
Are you ready to start making new friends but don't know how or where to start? Here we will help you bring your friendship game up a notch, showing you how easy it can be to make a new friend when done right.
1. Overcome your fear — it's not real
One of the effective strategies found to help boost your social life is overcoming fear.
Some people consider meeting others a scary event. If you would like to make new friends, you have to understand that this is all in your head. This fear is not rational. As a result you will find it easier to get over it and to get closer to people.
In case you would like to make new friends, but you are afraid to make a step, the first thing you should do is to create a healthy image in your mind regarding meeting new people. You might be stressed about making a good impression and you could be wondering whether or not people will like you. The more you dwell on these ideas, the scarier they will get. This way you will develop a mental fear and you will limit yourself, making it impossible to meet new friends. People aren't really born shy. Their shyness is a result of their fear.
If you are wondering how to make friends, you have to know that these fears are all in your head. Furthermore, about 99% of the people have the same fears. They will be too busy managing their own fear to focus on you. The remaining 1% knows that the first impression isn't always accurate and they won't judge you. Even if there are some people who do judge you, for sure you wouldn't want to be friends with them.
Problem of technology on social life
Does online friendship hurt real life social skills?
Initiating conversation is a big problem for many people. Call it introverted traits, call it anti-social behavior, whatever it is: it needs to stop. Technology dependence is no good as it's warping your ability to socialize when all you're doing is forming online friendship. It may be increasing your skill with keyboards and internet lingo, it's crippling your ability to socialize and this causes many health problems. Maybe your fear of people would get better with more experience for real life. It's difficult because many children grow up depending on technology these days. Then, when they are adult they don't know how to function in the real world. This is the effect of modernism and how it will influence the future is unknown for certain.
2. Start with people you know to make it easier
If you're not really a social person, new people might be frightening. This is why you should start in your comfort zone with the people you already know but haven't had the opportunity to connect with. Ease into this frightening area of life through baby steps.
Being around people you know is a lot easier than being around complete strangers. So, if you are wondering how to make a friend, you should start with them. Start with acquaintances. Are there any people you know but aren't close to or old friends you lost touch with? Say hi to them and see whether there is a chance to reconnect. There might also be some cliques you could join. You don't necessarily have to break into the clique, but get used to being around new people. You can use this time to observe the dynamics of interpersonal relationships.
When you find yourself saying "I need new friends", you should remember that your friends have other friends you don't know yet. You can join them on their outings or you could ask a friend to introduce you. If there is someone you are comfortable with, it will be easier for you to handle the new situation. One rule to find new friends is to accept invitations. Your circle of friends will be quite limited if you don't accept invitations to go out. Break free of your bubble and leave your comfort zone.
Expand your social circle
Meeting friends of your friends is the way to do it. Expand your social circle by asking the friends you already have to introduce you to new people. If they are your true friends then they will gladly introduce you to their friends, and thus your circle of friends will increase. Also do the same for your friends. There are absolutely no negatives from being the type of person who introduces people to other people. This is how you become popular. Leave any notions of jealousy behind, because what you need now is to make new friendship; not to desperately hold onto old ones.
3. Go out more and have some fun
Once you feel like you can handle the people you already know, you may wonder how to meet new friends. For this you will have to get out there and you will have to connect with others. Although it sounds scary at first, there is nothing you can't handle.
Once you get comfortable with being around "strangers", you might want to take things one step further and join groups you don't know anything about. If you are wondering how to meet new friends, you should think about joining meet-up groups. You can choose the people you will meet based on their interests. Workshops and courses also offer you a great opportunity to meet people with similar interests. Volunteering is a good option too. This way you can do good for the world and you will also meet some other kind people.
Where to make friends
If you are more outgoing, you could go to parties. In case you are wondering how do you make friends, you have to make sure you never turn down an invitation. However, you have to remember that in case of parties it is about the quantity of people you meet and not the quality. Bars and clubs can also help you meet new people. However, if you aren't that outgoing, joining online communities might be the best way to go.
4. Have some faith in yourself and in others
If you feel like you can't make new friends, here is some news for you: it's not that you can't — you just won't. There is a big difference. If you trust yourself, this "won't" will turn into "will" and when you get there, there is no stopping you.
The people who are still wondering how to find new friends should have a little faith in themselves and in the people around them. Most people aren't judgmental and there is no reason for them not to want to be friends with you. Keep in mind that they are only people as well and most probably they have the same fears as you do. You have to believe that you can have meaningful social relationships with the people around you.
Be more trusting
If you start trusting more, then you will make more friends naturally. It will happen quicker than you think, as well. It's no secret that trusting the well-intentions of others will attract many new people into your life. People can see that you trust them and will also trust you in return. People who open their hearts are rewarded over people who keep themselves guarded at all times. However, do not completely invest all your trust into any one friend. This is how you get burned as there are people who will take advantage of your kindness at times. Learn to manage the balance of trust.
5. Be open-minded about people
It is possible you already know what kind of person you'd like your friend to be. However, this is a limitation that you don't want in your life. You should give all people a chance. Each person has something special about them that you should appreciate.
Maybe you have a preconception regarding the friends you would like to have when it comes to how to make friend. You might have an idea about the hobbies they should have, the movies they should like, the educational background they should have, and so on. If you meet someone who doesn't fit the profile completely, you might shut them out. You will never find the friends you are looking for if you don't give people a chance. Most friends come from different backgrounds and it is their differences that make their relationship interesting.
It's not only your mind you should keep open, but your heart as well if you are asking how to make friends. You should think that all people have good intentions with a good heart. This way your relationship will be built on positive feelings instead of suspicion.
Proactive friendliness
Do not be so quick to judge others; do onto them as you wish done to you. Having positive thoughts about someone before meeting them makes it more likely for the first encounter to go well. Compare this to giving an enthusiastic hello to someone you don't know to make it seem like you know each other. These are classic tricks to help people to like you right off the bat. Make friendship has never been simpler than acting like friends from the get-go.
6. Invite people more to join you
There might be some people in your life you get along with in a certain social setting, but you can't make the next move. At one moment you just have to ask them whether they'd like to have coffee with you, for example.
For sure you have some people you get along with, but you always meet in the same social settings. You already seem to know where to meet friends, but you should make a step to take your relationship further. Otherwise you will only have guys you talk to during class or that girl you chat with by the water cooler. If you don't take another step, your relationship will always be stuck in the acquaintance stage and it will never become a meaningful relationship. You might not want to ask them out because you are afraid of being rejected. However, soon you will get used to it. It isn't nearly as scary as asking a guy out on a date.
Stand out in your social circle
Get into the habit of inviting people more and soon you will have too many friends to handle. If you were always someone in the past who complained about nobody inviting you places: you aren't alone. Most people feel that way, because it's difficult to be the one to reach out and invite people with you. That will all change when you become the proactive one in your group of friends. You will find that you will be more likely to meet new friends when you are the one making the shot-calling in your circle of influence.
How long should you wait before asking a new friend out
Depending on the circumstances you meet people, you don't have to wait long before asking them out. You don't have to worry about where to make new friends, you just have to think about taking the relationship further. As an example, if you go out with a friend who brings other friends and you seem to hit it off, there is no reason for you to wait to ask them out. However, if you meet at work and you only have short discussions, you should wait a while.
