Do you think if we were forced into an art class and told to talk to each other while painting, we’d make new friends more easily as adults?
I think they should make it a thing.
Remember at school you’d just show up (mostly because you didn’t have a choice, but not the point). A little awkward, maybe a few teeth missing but no one really cared.
You were just there to make things and have a good time, and naturally friendships grew.
Jump to adulthood where you’re trying to achieve the best ‘work life balance’ with commitments from deadlines to household chores.
All these responsibilities make it less easy to catch up with the friends you already have, let alone make new ones.
But… making friends as an adult doesn’t have to seem like such a huge mountain to climb.
And it’s more than possible to create beautiful, long lasting friendships beyond your childhood.
We’re made to be in community. We’re social beings.
Making social connections can even reduce stress, improve mental health and increase our longevity. So it’s nice to find people that just get us, you know?
Here’s 4 ways you can start making new friends
- Social media
It’s a love-hate relationship with this one but it’s also how you find people from all over the world that share your interests.
(Thank you algorithm for stalking my every move)
Sending a message online is WAY easier than going up to someone in real life. This one won’t even make your palms sweat.
Businesses do it all the time to sell us things with cold emails and cold calls… and we hate it because we’re being SOLD!
But to simply show some love and build a genuine relationship? It’s always welcome.
What have you got to lose? Reach out, see what happens.
- Find events based on your hobbies
What do you enjoy doing? Painting, reading, cooking?
Search for events near you that make your eyes light up with excitement and book a spot.
You’ll most likely bond faster with someone who has a shared hobby. And once you get past the initial nerves of walking into a new space, you’ll see that it’s not so bad, and connections will naturally happen.
- Go to workout classes
Pilates, HIIT, boxing, maybe join a swim or run club. The possibilities are endless.
My most recent try was hot barre. R&B music blasting in my ears and pulsing in my squats for so long I started to hallucinate.
But it started post-class chats about the tough parts and laughs about how we thought we wouldn’t make it to the end.
- Make time to be social
Studies show that it takes the average adult roughly 50 hours of time together to move from acquaintance to casual friend. That’s NO TIME AT ALL.
But with that said, there’s no need to rush, let things happen naturally and try to live in abundance.
Let it be new and a bit awkward. It could turn into something great.
And one final thing: remember to put yourself out there!
Comfort zones have their purpose but nothing new grows there.
It’s never too late to make new friends. It’s just about the time and attention you put into it.
It doesn’t matter if you’re not a social butterfly, the right people will come when you’re living in alignment with yourself!
Commit to the things you love and you will make friends easier than you thought.
