How to Form Lasting Friendships
Find a new friend., Smile and offer compliments., Share your interests., Share a bit of yourself., Spend time together with your new friends., Make sure your relationship is reciprocal.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a new friend.
Knowing where to look for like minded people and new friends can be a challenge.
Despite this challenge, there are many places you can go to make new friends.
Keep some of these tips in mind when considering where you might be most likely to meet interesting new people and make lasting friendships:
You could join a group that is centered around one of your interests.
For example, if you are into table top gaming, you might head down to your local game store and start playing with the people there.
If you attend a university, there should be many different groups open for you to join.
Attending conventions that cater to your interests can be a good place to meet new people.
If there are no interesting groups in your area, you might form one of your own.
Go to public places.
Avoid cinemas and theaters as well as malls.
In such areas, people are usually occupied in their own tasks and have a single focus.
They might/will not be too interested in making friends at the moment. -
Step 2: Smile and offer compliments.
Although it may be standard practice when meeting new people, smiling and offering compliments have both been demonstrated to cause others to be more drawn to you.
Make sure you are showing your appreciation of others and demonstrating that you have a friendly personality to help you make new friends.
Don't offer this many compliments that the person you are conversing to finds it awkward.
Make sudden and flying compliments that flow with the discussion.Smiling will generally cause others to perceive you as being friendly and open.
People often apply your comments about others back onto you.
Saying nice things about those around you will help you present yourself as having those qualities yourself. , People will often initiate friendships based on interests that they share.
Being open about the things you are interested in can be a good way to attract friends that have those interests in common.
Whether you are starting a new friendship or enjoying an old one, it's important to share what you're currently interested in.Try talking about hobbies that you might both share.
Talking about your favorite movies, music or shows can be a good way to bond.
You could discuss your views on current events.
Get off the topic if the talk between you and your friend is getting awkward due to dissimilar interests or if either of you is getting too hyped up in an argument. , Building a stronger sense of friendship will require you to share some personal details about yourself and your life.
Sharing these more intimate aspects of yourself can show that you trust and value your friend's support and thoughts.
Try opening up more about yourself to help build a longer lasting friendship.Try sharing some details about your other relationships.
Don't be afraid to share some personal issues with your friend.
Be honest with your friends and represent yourself genuinely. , When you are building a new friendship, it's important that you spend time together with your friend.
Ideally, you'll be able to spend time together face-to-face, as more frequent exposure to one another can build a stronger bond between you.
Try to make plenty of time for you and your new friend to hang out and to help lay the foundation for a lasting friendship.Spending time together online can be helpful, but it's not a replacement for meeting up in person.
Always try to make it to events that your new friend has invited you to.
Avoid turning down invitations to meet up with your new friend, as this may send a message that you are not interested in them. , A big part of any long lasting friendship is reciprocity.
Your friend will need to share as much of themselves as you share of yourself.
Personal thoughts and feelings that you tell your friend should be met with personal experiences of their own.
Keep your communications open and flowing both ways to make your friendship a long lasting one.Someone who offers nothing back after you've shared something personal, may not feel that you are friends yet.
Avoid over-sharing.
If you aren't noticing much personal conversation coming back to you, it may be a sign that the friendship isn't that well developed.
If you are the one who always has to make contact with your friend, it may be a sign that the friendship is unbalanced. -
Step 3: Share your interests.
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Step 4: Share a bit of yourself.
-
Step 5: Spend time together with your new friends.
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Step 6: Make sure your relationship is reciprocal.
Detailed Guide
Knowing where to look for like minded people and new friends can be a challenge.
Despite this challenge, there are many places you can go to make new friends.
Keep some of these tips in mind when considering where you might be most likely to meet interesting new people and make lasting friendships:
You could join a group that is centered around one of your interests.
For example, if you are into table top gaming, you might head down to your local game store and start playing with the people there.
If you attend a university, there should be many different groups open for you to join.
Attending conventions that cater to your interests can be a good place to meet new people.
If there are no interesting groups in your area, you might form one of your own.
Go to public places.
Avoid cinemas and theaters as well as malls.
In such areas, people are usually occupied in their own tasks and have a single focus.
They might/will not be too interested in making friends at the moment.
Although it may be standard practice when meeting new people, smiling and offering compliments have both been demonstrated to cause others to be more drawn to you.
Make sure you are showing your appreciation of others and demonstrating that you have a friendly personality to help you make new friends.
Don't offer this many compliments that the person you are conversing to finds it awkward.
Make sudden and flying compliments that flow with the discussion.Smiling will generally cause others to perceive you as being friendly and open.
People often apply your comments about others back onto you.
Saying nice things about those around you will help you present yourself as having those qualities yourself. , People will often initiate friendships based on interests that they share.
Being open about the things you are interested in can be a good way to attract friends that have those interests in common.
Whether you are starting a new friendship or enjoying an old one, it's important to share what you're currently interested in.Try talking about hobbies that you might both share.
Talking about your favorite movies, music or shows can be a good way to bond.
You could discuss your views on current events.
Get off the topic if the talk between you and your friend is getting awkward due to dissimilar interests or if either of you is getting too hyped up in an argument. , Building a stronger sense of friendship will require you to share some personal details about yourself and your life.
Sharing these more intimate aspects of yourself can show that you trust and value your friend's support and thoughts.
Try opening up more about yourself to help build a longer lasting friendship.Try sharing some details about your other relationships.
Don't be afraid to share some personal issues with your friend.
Be honest with your friends and represent yourself genuinely. , When you are building a new friendship, it's important that you spend time together with your friend.
Ideally, you'll be able to spend time together face-to-face, as more frequent exposure to one another can build a stronger bond between you.
Try to make plenty of time for you and your new friend to hang out and to help lay the foundation for a lasting friendship.Spending time together online can be helpful, but it's not a replacement for meeting up in person.
Always try to make it to events that your new friend has invited you to.
Avoid turning down invitations to meet up with your new friend, as this may send a message that you are not interested in them. , A big part of any long lasting friendship is reciprocity.
Your friend will need to share as much of themselves as you share of yourself.
Personal thoughts and feelings that you tell your friend should be met with personal experiences of their own.
Keep your communications open and flowing both ways to make your friendship a long lasting one.Someone who offers nothing back after you've shared something personal, may not feel that you are friends yet.
Avoid over-sharing.
If you aren't noticing much personal conversation coming back to you, it may be a sign that the friendship isn't that well developed.
If you are the one who always has to make contact with your friend, it may be a sign that the friendship is unbalanced.
About the Author
Samuel Ruiz
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in DIY projects and beyond.
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