Life changes after 25. We get busier with jobs and other added responsibilities. We start feeling like we have less time in the day and become so focused on achieving our goals that rarely include building strong friendships.
Friends are what makes life worth living. In fact, it’s been discovered that having close friendships means you’re less like to experience heart disease or other serious health problems as you age. Friendships can even be attributed to ensuring a longer and happier life.
With so much good coming from having solid friendships, how then do we go about making friends after our mid-twenties, when we no longer have the time and energy to make friends like we used to?
Repeat the Experience
Friendship only comes when you spend time with people consistently.
If you’re trying to socialize by joining a group or hanging out with your coworkers after work, you need to realize going once isn’t going to cut it. You need to become a familiar face. Eventually, you’ll have a deeper connection with one or more of the group.
Share
If you don’t chime in on the conversation, no one has a chance to get to know you. Share details of your life. Be casual about it. Slip in details about your vacation last year when the conversation turns to interesting travel destinations. Mention something funny your dog did when you got home from work.
Just remember, the trick here is to let people have a glimpse of your life, without hogging the conversation. Once you’re done sharing, ask someone a question to encourage them to share as well.
Start Something
It’s guaranteed that you won’t make new friends if you’re hiding in a corner. The next time you’re in a group of people, be the one to initiate the conversation. Say hello. Ask a question. Get the conversational ball rolling.
You’ll be amazed at how grateful people are you ventured out into the social whirl first. Most people hang back out of fear of rejection but are looking for an excuse to chat. As an added benefit, you become more attractive to the other people around you, for being the one bold enough to make the first move.
Making friends can seem like hard work initially, but really it’s just about being authentic and willing to communicate with those around you. By jumping in, you show the world you’re someone worth knowing.
