The Art of Making Friends: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why are friendships so important? Acording to the Mayo Clinic these are the benefits of friendships. "Good friends are good for your health. Friends can help you celebrate good times and support you during bad times. Friends help keep you from feeling alone. Friends also can:

• Raise your sense of connection, belonging and purpose.

• Boost your happiness and lower your stress.

• Improve your self-confidence and feelings of self-worth.

• Help you cope through hard times, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one.

• Urge you to change or avoid habits that aren't healthy. These might include drinking too much or not exercising.

Friends also play a big role in your overall health. Adults with strong social connections have a lower risk of many health problems. That includes depression, high blood pressure and an unhealthy weight. In fact, studies have found that older adults who have close friends and healthy social supports are likely to live longer than do their peers who have fewer friends."

As we are approach the holidays fiendships start to seem more important. If you feel you are lacking friends it also becomes more evident.

Making new friends can feel intimidating, especially if you are shy, whether you’ve just moved to a new school, a new city, started a new job, or feel the need to make friends.

But don’t worry—friendships are like plants: they take time to grow and flourish with care! 🌱  

Here’s how to start your journey to building new connections:  

 Start with a Smile 😊 . A genuine smile is your best first step—it’s approachable, friendly, and opens doors to conversation.  Once you have built that friendly first approach and are feeling comfortable, say a small casual greeting like “hi”. Over time, this builds familiarity and increases comfort.  

Also, join activities you love; whether it’s sports, art, or community groups, shared interests create natural opportunities to bond. There is no better way to meet people you will click with than sharing experiences in an area you both enjoy.

If you are not sure how to start a conversation with someone you don’t know, try this as a conversation starter. Ask for advice, offer help, or chat about the activity you’re both participating in.  

Introduce yourself

At this point you probably feel more at ease, so try to introduce yourself, ask their name, and suggest meeting up again. Friendships grow one step at a time!  Remember, you’re not alone in feeling shy or awkward—everyone’s been there! So be patient with yourself, keep putting yourself out there, and watch as those friendly smiles turn into lasting connections. 💛 

Share your experiences in the comments—what’s your favorite way to meet new people? 👇