As school children, we had all the time in the world to make friends and keep them. Granted, those friends were, for the most part, other students we were forced to spend most of our days with, but as adults, we’re seldom offered the same luxury. However, it’s easier not to do anything about it and mourn our lack of a social life forever than to go out and make new friends, but one of those options will provide a greater reward in the long run. How To Start A Friendship As An Adult

Here’s how to create the social life you deserve as an adult:

Start With A Positive Mindset

Chances are that if you begin your journey of growing your friend group with a negative outlook, you’re not going to get very far. Forgo focusing on the fact that you’re lonely or don’t have many friends as it can become a vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, see this new venture as a chance to take part in things that make you genuinely happy, that will allow you to build meaningful connections that will last you for years to come.

Be Open To Being Vulnerable

Putting yourself out there undeniably comes with the fear of rejection, but think about when you took a risk, and everything worked out. The joy of having the courage to do something for yourself likely far outweighed the lasting pain of never having done it at all, even if it didn’t turn out how you expected. You’re not going to be best friends with everyone, but if you can go out on a limb and be your true self, you’re much likelier to succeed in building authentic relationships. BetterHelp has an insightful library about the meaning of friendship you should check out. This can be helpful if you want to explore the emotional side of nurturing friendships.

Utilize Your Social Media Channels

If you’re on social media, your followers’ list is probably filled with people you already know or have some acquaintanceship with, so this is an excellent avenue to reconnect with old platonic flames that fizzled out in the past. Sometimes you meet the right people at the wrong time, but this doesn’t mean that you should leave those connections in the past. Reach out to people you remember enjoying, or post about how you’re organizing a get-together and see who reaches out.

Get Involved In A Local Club

Hobbies don’t have to be a solo activity. If you’re looking to expand your friendship horizons, joining a local club made up of people who enjoy activities that you love is a great way to meet people you’ll have an instant connection with. This is a beautiful way to jumpstart a bond, plus, considering clubs tend to meet either once a week or once a month, you get that consistency you need to build up your relationship.

Invite Your Coworkers To A Social Outing

Speaking of consistency, your workplace is the one place the same people surround you for the majority of the week. Try thinking of your job as school; you’re together day in and day out, and you at least have a baseline knowledge of each other. So why not take these connections a bit further? Try inviting your coworkers out of your professional confines and out to dinner or a yoga class after work.

Connect With Your Neighbors

For as much as people make jokes about quarreling with neighbors, you might find it more beneficial to start seeing your neighbors as How To Start A Friendship As An Adult material. Instead of smiling and spewing a generic “hi, how are you?” Before closing the door and going about your business, try starting a conversation to learn a little more about them and see if you hit it off. You might end up making some amazing friends that you don’t have to travel far to meet up with.

Volunteer For An Important Cause

There’s nothing like combining fun with charitable service, and volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to your community, but also as a way to meet people who share in your values and are sure to be lifelong friends. Search for volunteer centers in your area or research non-profits that cater to causes you feel passionately about.

Marie Miguel Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.