5 Ways Adults Can Make New Friends

Friendships are important! We all need someone who ‘gets’ us. Someone to lean on. A friend to laugh, cry and celebrate with. As we get older it seemingly becomes more difficult to make new friends organically.

Maybe you’ve recently moved to a new city. Or perhaps you have been busy with work, family, or just general life. And now you realize your friend tribe has evaporated. Worry not! We are never too old to build new friendships, albeit it takes a little effort!

The first thing to do is set the intention to meet people and make friends. Consciously deciding this lays a framework for achievement.

Similar to needing a job- we don’t wait for someone to knock on our door. We go out and look for the type of job that appeals to us. We dress for the part, put on a big smile, and present our best selves.

It is the same idea when looking to make friends.

Be open. Smile. Make eye contact. Start or join in on some casual conversation. “Have you been here before? How is it?” “Oh wow, I love your hat!” “Do you know where I can find a good coffee shop? I’m new here.” Introduce yourself; shake hands. Now you know each other’s names- you’re off to a great start!

This technique is simple. It only requires a casual degree of openness and a genuine willingness to meet people. Go for it.

Show others you are interested in getting to know them.

Seek out activities that you enjoy. This is where you are most likely to meet like-minded people, that you will naturally hit it off with. Whether it be heading to your local thrift or antique shop, art gallery, botanic garden, bingo, or the pub on trivia night. Make it a point to do something outside of the house once a week (besides grocery shop) to build rapport with potential friends. Anything. Just get out there.

Here are some ideas for getting out and finding your new homies.

Yoga

Here’s a little secret- very few communities are as open, accepting, and welcoming as a yoga community! Every major city has a yoga studio. People of all ages, gender, backgrounds, and fitness levels come to yoga- no experience necessary! The practice itself encourages vulnerability, acceptance, and positivity.

So, we’re already set to make friends with ourselves and others!

Various types of people come to yoga. Business executives. Teachers. Bartenders. Blue-collar guys. First-responders. Gym rats. Hippies. Spiritual seekers. And everything in between! Because yoga is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Old. Young. Tall. Short. Big. Small. Flexible and strong, or not! There is a wide variety of truly awesome, high vibrational people that attend yoga. Choose the class that appeals to you. Sign up. Show up. Smile. Say “Hi” to someone. Try different classes for your needs. Find one that has the right vibe and keep coming back.

Meetup

Meetup is an app that offers hundreds of meetups in every city, online and in-person, for all kinds of hobbies, skills, and interests. What do you like to do? What are your passions? What kind of people would you like to network with?

There are meetups for everything! Disc golf, ecstatic dancing, poetry slams, chess, crocheting, etc. Meet up to do something you already like to do/want to do, with others who enjoy the same stuff! Or meetup to discuss or learn about different topics! There are writer's groups, parenting groups, artists groups, astronomy groups, and any other interest on the planet!

Meetups are informal and there are several newbies at any given gathering. Meet up, sign up, show up; it will be fun. Don’t see one in the area that appeals to you? Create one! Build it and they will come.

Park

The park is an excellent place to make new friends, particularly if you have children or pets! Other people with children and pets will already also be there! Bam! You’re in the same place and you already have something in common!

Don’t be afraid to wander over to another parent or fur-parent and offer some subtle small conversation. “Your dog is so cute. What’s its name?” “Wow, this is a nice park. My kiddo loves it. Do you guys come here a lot?”

Feel it out. See if there is any friend chemistry there. If not, politely excuse yourself, no big deal. Be open, be friendly, and meet lots of people. See which casual conversations feel best. Notice where a connection has been made (or hasn’t been made) and go from there. A park is a great place to just get practice approaching other parents/peeps. Plus, you’ve got a wingman.

Activism

Passionate about a cause? Find out how to help! Activism takes many different forms intending to bring about political and/or social change. It is people gathering in numbers to take action. Protests, demonstrations, lobbying, strikes, and petitions are forms of activism. Again, we find like-minded people who feel passionate about a like-minded cause, and this creates a bond. Wanting to change the world with others creates a bond. Connect with others who share your enthusiasm for meaningful social change.

Volunteer

Offer your presence and your services as a volunteer in your area. Perhaps helping in a local soup kitchen or a food pantry. Parks departments, forest preserves, and other conservation offices often seek volunteers to help with events or seasonal cleanups. Many non-profit organizations and churches seek volunteers to deliver meals to the elderly and disabled. One can also help organize fundraisers. Or even offer services such as haircuts or tax preparation to the less fortunate. We all have something to offer. Make time, whether it be once a week or once a month. In this spirit, it is a great way to make meaningful friendships.

I hope you enjoyed my top 5 most valuable tips for making friends as an adult!

The potential is there every time you leave the house. But if you set an intention… and simply commit to being in a shared space, partaking in some sort of shared activity or interest for some length of time (even an hour) the better the odds for establishing your soul squad!

As humans, we are social creatures. Friendships impact us on all levels of health and overall wellbeing. All humans want to feel seen, heard, understood, and appreciated. The best way to make a friend is to be a friend.

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Much love!