Making Friends As An Adult Can Be Terrifying: Let’s Talk About How And Why You Should Do It

So, if you want to be intentional about making friends, you have to understand who you are. Daunting, I know. But what you put out there– who you portray yourself as– will ultimately dictate what kinds of friends you attract.

For example, let’s say you are a total art lover and love participating in amateur photography. If you try to ditch that interest and socialize with fitness fanatics, you may not walk away feeling totally satisfied.

This is not to say that people with differing interests cannot get along or even become great friends. But, in the beginning, making new friends is easiest when you understand your own interests and look for compatibility with yourself in others.

So, once you understand your own M.O., per se, you can start looking into ways to socialize. Let’s take the art lover, for example, again.

That person may want to look into art classes in their town, exhibits at their local museum, or even Facebook groups that are dedicated to amateur artists.

Likewise, fitness fanatics can join a new gym, attend a weekly workout class, or join a hiking group; meanwhile, foodies can visit tastings, cooking classes, and new restaurants.

The point is that by doing whatever you are interested in, you will undoubtedly be surrounded by at least a few people who reciprocate your interests. Then, this will make breaking the ice a whole lot easier, and a potential friendship can flourish.

Sometimes, though, getting out into your local community is not always easy. You may work long hours, have children at home, or even suffer from some social anxiety. Trust me: I get it.

So, there are also numerous ways to start connecting with new people online from the comfort of your own home.

First of all, social media groups on apps like Facebook and Reddit are great ways to dip your toe into different communities and see if anyone sticks out to you. You can even break the ice by making a post and asking a question, encouraging conversation, and getting some rapport flowing.

Second, did you know that there are actually entire apps for finding friends? That’s right– forget Tinder or Hinge because Bumble BFF is about to become your BFF.