You are out of school and working and you are having a really hard time making friends. Maybe you moved to a new city. Or your friends from childhood or college are busy and not available. Maybe you’ve outgrown your friends and want to make new ones. Whatever the reason, you are in the right place.
Making friends as an adult is hard as hell. People have busy schedules. We are all tired and constantly hungry and have too many responsibilities. We meet people, but just don’t connect easily or have many things in common.
So how can you make GOOD and SOLID adult friendships?
- Get a hobby. Try something new or start a previous hobby again. Join an adult sports league. Learn to play an instrument. Volunteer at an animal shelter. Whatever you want to do, but find something that will get you out and around other people. It’ll help you meet people AND you’ll probably have something in common with them right off the bat.
- Ask people to do things. Trust me. You are not the only one feeling this way. Every client I talk to says they’d like to have more good friends. Put yourself out there and ask someone to do something. A neighbor, an old friend, a random person you just met, someone in your OTF workout class. You know how good it feels when someone else steps up and asks you to do something? Well, bite the bullet and be that person for someone else.
- Rely on coworkers, other friends, significant others, etc to introduce you to new people. Let the people in your life know that you want to get out there and meet new people. When are you normally available? What do you like to do? Are you up for trying new things? Tell people you want to tag along if they’ll have you! As humans we often assume that other people are completely happy and satisfied with how things are in their own life. We forget that pretty much everyone is trying to improve themselves constantly.
- Fake it until you make it. Even if you are uncomfortable talking to new people or trying new things, set a goal to get out of your comfort zone and if you have to fake confidence, go ahead and do it! No one, except you, will ever know the difference.
Want more personalized help in this area? Contact me for a free phone consultation and we’ll see if how we can work together!