For some, meeting new people can be a pain. Letting in new people in your life isn’t always easy and comfortable. At times, as much as having a new set of friends or just one companion sounds fun, you’d rather just curl up with a book in bed than get out of your comfort zone to meet up with a group of strangers. For introverts, especially, it takes a lot of emotional energy to put yourself out there.
Needless to say, we all need someone to be there for support and love, for assurance and a sense of belonging, and to return the love and care back. However daunting the thought of “making new friends” or “meeting new people” is to anyone of any age, people need people.
Why do you think moving away or losing a loved one are emotional events in a person’s life? It’s because human connections are valuable. Our own support system, comprised of our family, friends, and partner, make life worth sharing and living.
The world is an exhilarating place to explore, and while individuals can possibly do that alone, the experience is ten times more pleasurable with someone at your side. So, gather up the courage to make real human connections. If not for yourself, do it for that someone who needs a new person in his or her life.
Here are the best, painless ways to meet new people.
Pushing yourself to go out of your comfort zone and trying something new is a good way to meet new friends. Discovering a new activity or pursuing something you always said you would do paves the way to cross paths with people you have never had the chance of meeting before.
Choosing to experience something out of the ordinary will automatically send the vibe that you’re open to learning and meeting new people.
Nowadays, mountain hiking is a trend among people of different ages. Joining such activity will take your breath away literally and figuratively, as you get to engage in physical activities which are good for your health, and at the same time, discover new places you didn’t even know existed.
If you prefer indoor activities, you may also consider wall climbing or different exercises such as CrossFit, cycling, or Zumba offered by fitness clubs. Aside from getting healthy, you also get to meet new people who are into working out as well.
You don’t always have to complicate meeting new people. You can always build new friendships by doing things differently such as going about your daily routine, for instance!
Instead of pulling up the drive-thru path for picking up your coffee or mid-day snack, park that car, go inside the café or restaurant, and simply enjoy the place’s ambiance. This allows you to see new faces who you will get to encounter often.
Making a small talk with other customers or sales people while standing in line at a supermarket or when shopping will definitely get you in the habit of conversing, noticing other people, and making that connection. Who knows? You just might find your next shopping buddy at your favorite store!
Traveling is not only to see and explore new beautiful places. Traveling is also about learning a new culture, meeting the locals, and at the same time, meeting co-travelers—all of which make the experience a more enriching one regardless if it’s just exploring a town within the country or going across different continents.
Knowing how people live differently from the way you do never fails to keep travels more exciting and human connections even more gratifying. Not to mention, you also get to post new photos on your social media accounts!
Traveling with a car? It’s okay to have a little fun while on the road but always remember, safety first! Check out this helpful infographic on the top causes of road accidents in the UK.
Turning down invitations to social events, may it be invites from your friends or work-related happenings, instantly shuts your door to acquaintances and possibly new friends. Even when you think the event might be lame or “not exactly your thing,” just take a chance and go anyway.
Surprise yourself with whoever you’ll run into. Anyway, you can always up and go when you feel like you’re having a bad time. The point is to go and find out, right?
Being homebound just because you’re on a sabbatical or working from home shouldn’t stop you from meeting new people. Go to your local Starbucks or perhaps try out that new indie café nearby. After all, your usual coffee at home might not do the trick anymore to helping you stay awake.
Also, some coffee shops encourage building a community by incorporating long tables where their customers can sit next to each other and work or read. Should you need a break from work, you can talk with someone else instead of just staring at the wall or browsing through your Facebook feed.
Blessed are the people whose interests are plenty! The more interests you have, the more likely you are to build a connection with someone who share your inclinations in life. It’s a fact that having more than one commonality with someone is the formula to creating a friendship.
Do you enjoy jazz or poetry? Find a low-key club where you can listen to great music or poetry, or even become a performer for a night. You’re likely to relate to anyone who showed up like you.
Facebook isn’t the only social networking site available out there, and Tinder isn’t the only way to meet new people. Explore other online avenues that let you connect with people who share your passions.
Technology is a powerful tool to reach people from places all over the world and blessed is today’s generation for having such advancements.
Keep practicing these tips and you’re sure to push away the anxiety you have with meeting new people. The more you put yourself up for social meetings, the better the odds of creating new friendships and intimacies with fun and interesting people.