10 Tips on how to make new friends
Friends…we all need and want them, but sometimes setting out to make new friends can seem a daunting task. We are not all blessed with outgoing personalities and the ability to make friends easily, so here are ten tips on how to find and make new friends, the easy way:
1. Overcome the fear
For some of us, meeting new people is a scary thought and, the more we think about it, the scarier it gets. The truth is that most people that you meet are just as concerned about making a good impression, as you are, so they are too busy trying to impress you to start judging you.
2. Start off slowly
If you rarely meet new people, then going in at the deep end and trying to meet a whole new group of people might seem intimidating to begin with. Try getting closer to people that you are already acquainted with first and that way you won’t be starting from scratch.
3. Stay in touch
Another tip on how to make new friends is – when you do meet someone, don’t just drop it after the first meeting or they will think that you don’t want to be friends. Keep in touch and take the initiative sometimes by asking them out for coffee or to go shopping together. The biggest barrier to making new friends is your own irrational fear of rejection. Try not to worry about that. After all, If they say they can’t make it, what have you lost?
4. Make yourself available
Our next tip on how to make new friends is – make yourself available. If you keep on saying ‘no’, when a potential friend calls you, they will stop asking. Friendship is all about being there when someone needs you, so, being there, when they are simply looking for company will open the door to your being there when they really need a friend.
5. Be prepared to listen
A true friend is someone who will listen. Listen to what people have to say, and show an interest, and they will begin to feel that you are someone they can trust. Sometimes you don’t have to say a word to solve a friend’s problem, your friend might just need to talk things through.
6. Make eye contact with people
If you are shy, then making eye contact with people might seem a big ask, but try it and you’ll be surprised by the effect that it has. Everyone responds well to eye contact; it shows that you are listening and it shows that you can be trusted. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll find that it is not as hard to do, as you might think.
7. Always say nice things about people
Another tip on how to make new friends is – always talk nicely about other people. The moment you say bad things to a person about somebody else, then that person will begin to wonder what you will be saying about them. Never run down a third party in the conversation, because it won’t help you make new friends, it will just alienate people.
8. Pay your way, but don’t try and buy friendship
Always get your share of the bill or buy your round of drinks, but never try and buy friendship with your cash. Flashing the cash will get some people buzzing around you, but they won’t be real friends and they will disappear fast, as soon as you stop spending the money.
9. Get out more
Getting out more is another good tip on how to make new friends. You’re not going to meet people sitting at home, so get out and make yourself available. You don’t even need to be the one who makes the first move, but if you get out and join clubs or enroll in a class, then you will begin to meet new people and they will start to approach you.
10. Be open minded
Don’t pre-judge people and don’t make instant assessments, based on first impressions. You could find the best friend that you ever had in the last place that you ever expected, so keep an open mind about people, at least, until you get to know them better.