Originally posted on PhiladelphiaMFT.com.
Making friends when you’re young feels effortless. First, our parents set us up on play dates with other kids. Then we start participating in extracurricular a and make friends there. As we get older, we find people at school who connect with us. Then you graduate, and poof- people move away, get married, or are just plain busy working all the time.
Now what?
Making friends as an adult is an increasingly difficult task. So much so that there are a steadily growing population of people who lead little to no social life outside of the Internet. Connection is one of our primary needs as human beings, yet it seems it is getting harder to maintain all the time. So how is it done? I’m glad you asked! Here are four tips to help you on your journey to making friends as an adult:
1. Don’t say no to an invitation.
We’ve all done it- an invitation gets sent your way for a happy hour or birthday get-together and you just blow it off. This is sabotaging your chance to make new friends! Whenever possible, say yes and go in with an open mind.
2. Engage in a hobby.
Is there a class you’ve always wanted to take but been reluctant to try? Now is the time. You’ll meet people who share a similar interest, so you know you already have something in common.
3. Ask your friends to introduce you.
This sort of seems like dating, but making friends can often feel like that. Put some feelers out to the friends you already have letting them know you’re interested in expanding your social circle. Chances are that if you like your friend, you’re likely to like their friends too.
4. Reconnect with old friends.
If there is someone you haven’t seen in a while but would like to see again, stop procrastinating and reach out to them. It’s easy to fall back into old friendships because of your shared history, even if it’s been a while.
