Making new friends can be difficult, especially if you're not used to stepping out of your comfort zone. Don't worry, difficult doesn't mean impossible. The first step you need to do is meet new people and make friends with them. Once you feel comfortable with them, try to strengthen the friendship and turn it into a friendship. If you are a teenager or a child, please go straight to the third part and find the information that suits you!
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Method 1 of 3: Making New Friends
Step 1. Consider the people in your workplace
You may be on good terms with your coworkers but never take the time to really get to know them. One of the keys to making friends in the office is to gradually change work relationships into more personal relationships. The trick, you can slowly begin to share personal things about yourself with co-workers who have often talked with you. These actions will indirectly provoke them to take similar actions.
Step 2. Find new friends in your neighborhood
If you have frequent conversations with your neighbors, consider forging a closer relationship by inviting them over to your house or bringing them your cake. Visiting a neighbor's house while bringing gifts can also lure them to get closer to you.
Step 3. Do the things you love
The best way to meet new people is to follow your passions and interests. Find a local community that caters to your interests, find out if your campus library holds frequent community meetings, or take classes that address your interests. Participating in community events will help you find new friends from the same field.
If you're having trouble finding a community of people with similar interests, just create a new one! Some libraries have a special room that can be rented for holding meetings. You can also hold a meeting at a coffee shop or restaurant. Invite people to join through social media like Facebook or Meetup
Step 4. Find the right location to volunteer
Apart from benefiting others, volunteering also gives you the opportunity to meet new people. Consider volunteering at a library, school, hospital, or soup kitchen. Choose activities that match your skills.
Step 5. Consider joining a spiritual community in your area
Remember, spirituality has a very broad meaning and is not only limited to things related to traditional religions. Meditation is also a spiritual act for some people. Usually, a person will tend to choose a community that contains a group of people with similar beliefs to them.
Step 6. Greet the people around you
If you see someone reading your favorite book, don't be afraid to come over and say hello. If you've been smiling at the same person in your new class often, make sure you walk up to them and introduce yourself. Friendship will not be established if you are afraid to start a conversation with him. Worst case scenario, the person will think you know a lot and be lazy to respond to you.
Step 7. Give praise
Do you like being praised? So do other people. Therefore, try to give compliments to people you would like to get to know more closely. Not only will this make you both smile, it will also make him feel happy when he's around you.
Try to give appropriate compliments to the person. Compliments like "You look great today" are a good choice. But it would be much better if you made a specific compliment like, “You look great! I love the color combination” or “Your smile really makes this room feel more cheerful!”
Step 8. Make sure you see the same people regularly
Once you've met and become acquainted with a new set of people, continue to see them on a regular basis. Having repeated contacts will pave the way for you to make friends with different people in the group.
Step 9. Tell yourself that you want to make new friends
When you are in a new situation, decide how many people you want to meet or make friends with. Your goals are important, but what's most important is the mindset that accompanies the process of achieving those goals. Having that mindset will encourage you to open up to new people and friendships
Method 2 of 3: Turning Ordinary Friends Into Friends
Step 1. Create and accept invitations
If you usually prefer to stay at home, turning down invitations to social events may become a habit. But if you're trying to make new friends with other people, try changing those habits and attending all invitations sent to you. In addition, attend a more personal invitation. For example, when your friend invites you for coffee or a movie together, accept the invitation. Instead, learn to invite your friends to do fun activities together.
If a coworker seems to want to be closer to you, try initiating an interaction with him or her
Step 2. Get to know your friends better
If you want to be friends with someone, of course you can't keep them talking about trivial things (like the weather). Try deepening your relationship by discussing more substantial matters. Ask about her hopes, dreams, and worries. Tell me what keeps you up all night. Ask him what he likes and why (like his favorite movie, book, or quote). Deepening the topic of discussion can help you get to know each other better.
Opening up is tantamount to "weakening yourself" in front of others. You have asked him to weaken himself before you. Therefore, you also need to learn to do the same. Try to share personal things about yourself with him
Step 3. Use body language
Show your appreciation to your friends through body language. The easiest thing you can do is smile when he sees him approaching you. When your friend is talking, make sure you give them your full attention and show that through your body language. Don't be busy checking your phone or doing something else. Giving him the right nonverbal signals can help show that you want to be a better friend.
For example, make sure you're leaning toward him and not crossing your arms in front of your chest. Crossing your arms is a nonverbal signal that you don't want to talk to the person in front of you
Step 4. Learn to listen
Everyone wants a friend who will listen when needed, including you. Therefore, do the same to your friends. Pay close attention to what your friend is saying and try to identify his implicit messages to see if he's trying to imply something else.
For example, if your friend says, "I've been busy with my new hobby lately" when you ask how your husband or wife is doing, it could be a sign that your friend's marital relationship is not going well and he doesn't want to tell you
Step 5. Let your friendship grow
Friendship, like a romantic relationship, cannot be established overnight. Such a serious relationship takes time and a process to grow and develop. Be patient; let your friendship grow and develop over time.
For example, you may start communicating with one of your coworkers frequently. Do not rush to deepen the relationship. It may take a few weeks before you can take him out to dinner or a trip together, especially since the nature of your relationship has always been that of co-workers. Most people are reluctant to make more friends outside of work
Step 6. Give your time
Your care and concern will show if you are willing to be by his side, whether in a pleasant or difficult situation.
Step 7. Take time to do simple things
Believe me, a beautiful friendship is actually built from simple actions, such as buying a cup of coffee, writing a short letter, or bringing food if your friend is not feeling well.
Step 8. Increase the frequency of traveling together
Consider taking her out of town for a few days. Spending time each day together can bring you and your friends closer together, especially if you both sleep in the same room. Plan a short vacation to a fun place together.
Step 9. Realize that your efforts may fail
Not all friendships can be transformed into friendships. In fact, most friendships don't develop into friendships. Most people only have three to five people who are really close to them. So if you have three to five close relationships, there's nothing to worry about.
In fact, the more you get to know someone, the more likely you will hate them. Remember, working with or living next door to someone doesn't necessarily mean you have to be friends or be friends with that person
Method 3 of 3: Making New Friendships as Children or Teens
Step 1. Be open to meeting new people
When you're in a class, an extracurricular club, or an organization, try to communicate with people you've never spoken to before. Sometimes, people tend to hang out with only the same people all the time. Do the opposite! Opening up to new people can really help you make new friends.
Try not to judge others by their appearance. Someone who looks completely different to you can actually have a lot of similarities and compatibility with you
Step 2. Who is he?
The best way to start a conversation is to say "Hello". You should also say your name and ask for his name.
- For example, you could immediately say, “Hello, my name is Dorothy. What's your name?"
- Do whatever it takes to keep the conversation going. For example, you could ask, "You're a new club member, right?" or “How was lunch in the cafeteria today? Nice?".
Step 3. Ask if you can become closer friends with him
If you see him during his lunch break or meet him at the same extracurricular club, ask if you can sit next to him. Spending time with the person is a powerful way to get to know them better.
For example, you could say, “Hi, I see you often but never greet you. May I sit next to you today?”
Step 4. Try asking him to meet at another time
After sitting together a few times, ask him to meet at another time. Maybe you can ask him to do homework together at the library. Maybe you can invite him over to your house at any time (don't forget to ask your parents for permission first).
- When you invite other people to your house, you are the host. In other words, as a host you need to make sure all guests are comfortable and happy. Ask your friend what he wants to do. You can also prepare various activities that are interesting and fun.
- A person who enjoys his days with you will be clearly seen from his face and gestures. If he smiles or laughs a lot when he's around you, chances are he's enjoying your company.
Step 5. Ask questions
One way to get to know someone else's personality is to ask them questions. You can ask him about simple things, like his favorite movie or book. You can also ask about his family or hobbies.
As time goes on, ask more serious questions. For example, you could ask him what he's afraid of or why he likes certain things
Step 6. Be nice
Just as water can help plants grow, kindness can also help friendships grow positively. Be kind to your friends; let him borrow your math notes, offer him a drink while you're at the cafeteria, or send him a letter thanking him. Simple things like that already show that you value and love him as a friend.
Step 7. Learn to listen
Good friends are those who are willing to listen. You definitely like to tell them what happens in your daily life, they do too. This means that you can tell stories, but you also have to be willing to listen and respond to other people's stories.
- For example, if your friend says, "I was really stressed last night," don't immediately reply, "Me too." Ask him in advance what stresses him out all night.
- If you're not used to that kind of communication, ask your mom or dad to help you practice. Not everyone has the skills to communicate with others.
Step 8. Accept the person
You may find things in him that are annoying. As much as you want them to change, realize that everyone has a character or habit that is not acceptable to everyone. Learn to accept them as they are. After all, you must also have a uniqueness that is difficult for others to understand, right?
