Relationships: Friendship

 11 Smart Ways To Make New Friends

If you are looking for smart ways to make friends with new people, you are on the right page. In this article, we have shared several smart tips that can help you make new friends. Read on.

1. Get in Touch with Friends of Friends

Typically, people share common interests with friends of friends. So, you can ask your friends about their friends. Reach out to them to see if it works out. And in most cases, it does work for most people.

2. Organize a Meet-Up

You can organize a local or online "meet up" with individuals who have similar interests as you. It's a good idea to join an online friendship club as well.

3. Borrow a Dog

If you have a pet dog, you can take it to a nearby dog park. There you may be able to make friends with other dog owners. You can also borrow a dog if you don't have one already.

4. Go to a New City

Although it may be a bit intimidating to go to a new city on your own, you should try it. You can get a good book, sit in a park and wait for someone to approach you. Alternatively, you can also get to someone and start a conversation.

5. Spend Time with Co-Workers

If you are an office worker, you can have lunch with your co-workers. It will give you plenty of time to spend with your colleagues. Maybe you can make friends with some of them.

6. Try Adult Leagues

In many cities, you have adult leagues that may help you get in touch with like-minded people. But if you are not into team sports, you can join a yoga studio or gym. Regular visits can help you meet many familiar faces.

7. Visit a Local Supper Club

You can pay a visit to a nearby Supper Club with the hope to see new people. At these clubs, you can eat, drink and make friends with the type of people you like the most.

8. Take Pictures

If you like taking tons of pictures at a party or event, you can make friends with many people. All you need to do is ask them if they are on Facebook. This way you can send them the photos they like and make friends with them in the process.

9. Attend Cultural Events

Usually, attending cultural events is free. For instance, you can attend an art exhibit, concert or play.

10. Open Up

When you talk to a like-minded person, make sure you open up to them. This is important to build trust and make a stronger bond of friendship.

11. Be a Volunteer

It's a good idea to offer your help or services as a volunteer. This will help you make new friends while contributing to the community.

So, if you are thinking of making new friends, we suggest that you try out the tips given in this article. This will help you get rid of your boredom and spend quality time with good friends.

5 Benefits of Joining a Friendship Club

If you are thinking of joining a friendship club, you may be a bit intimidated. You can join a local or online club to make new friends. If chosen wisely, you can enjoy a lot of benefits by being part of a club. Given below is a description of 5 benefits that you can avail if you make this decision after doing your homework.

1) Meeting New People

If you join a club, you can meet new people. In these clubs, you can get along with the members as you have a lot of things in common with them. The majority of clubs organize meetings on a regular basis allowing all the members to spend time together through the Internet. So, you can become friends with like-minded people.

2) Learning New Skills

Members of a friendship club regularly contribute to it. In fact, each member has something to do. Like them, you may do something you already have a lot of experience with. Whether you are experienced or not, you will always have something to know more about.

For instance, you can improve your social skills. So, being part of a new company can help you learn new skills and improve the existing ones.

3) Improving Time Management Skills

Although you can't spend the same amount of time in each group, you can learn to manage your time. At first, you may find it hard to give time to a friendship club as you have other commitments as well, such as school, work, and family.

Once you have understood your role in a club, you will be able to find time for other things as well. Your time management skills also get better with time.

4) Gaining Experience

If you improve your time management skills, you can make things easier for you down the road. For instance, you can join a club where a lot of discussions happen that can help you with your career. This is one of the most important benefits that you can avail if you make friends with the right people.

5) Improving Confidence

It takes a lot of courage to join a club, especially if you have never done this before or you are very busy. You might be thinking you won't be able to fit in or get along with other members.

Actually, it seems hard at first but you can get through the process as you will have some common interests. These interests will help you come closer to other members. Eventually, this will boost your confidence. So, you can talk to new people with more confidence. Actually, as you spend more time with the club members, you can become more comfortable with them.

In short, if you are going to join a friendship club, we hope that the benefits explained in this article can spur on you to do your research and make this decision. So, if you are going to take this step, we suggest that you do your homework to find out what's right for you.

Why Not Make the Effort and Turn Up!

I bet I'm not the only one who sometimes heaves a sigh of relief when an evening's plans are cancelled. Wintertime especially can be a tough time for leaving your home.

Once the curtains are drawn, the heating's on, and you're perhaps snuggled up with your pets or family it can be a real effort to have to think about showering and getting ready to venture out again into the cold and rain. Hardly surprising so many of us want to hibernate throughout winter.

In addition, after Christmas many of us will be needing to budget due to a shortage of cash. A recent survey has revealed that a third of families have borrowed to finance Christmas and it can take up to three years to pay it back. It can seem like forever until the January pay cheque is due.

Then there are those people who are planning their next holiday and are starting to save up. All valid reasons why January can be a long cold month for many people. But going out often only requires that we make the effort and turn up. Being sociable doesn't always necessitate much expenditure and can be a great way to support us throughout those long winter months.

Why not make the effort and turn up!

- Visit friends. Even if you're simply calling round for a coffee it's good to make the effort to keep in touch. There are lots of ways to enjoy each other's company, perhaps by sharing photos, anecdotes, some of your music collection. A little imagination can go a long way.

- Invite friends to yours. It's always good to have a reason to tidy the house! Suggest supper. Cheese and biscuits, a simple pasta dish or casserole is often a welcome meal. Guests will often offer to bring something. Let them contribute and you can reciprocate when you go to theirs.

- Be proactive. Start a book club, where each person takes their turn to suggest a book for the group to read and discuss. Have a games evening. Cards, board games and quiz evenings are often such good fun that they're continued well into the year. Or a pamper evening where 'the girls' make the effort and turn up with their beauty products, perhaps bringing a bottle, in order to enjoy catching up.

- Consider a training course. It's good to stretch ourselves and get out of our comfort zone. Use the opportunity to improve yourself, and commit to doing something you've been thinking about for a while. Exams don't have to be a factor, just make the effort and turn up regularly so you can learn a new skill. It could well be a stimulating use of your time.

- Get outside. Going for a walk or run either with friends or alone can be a positive investment in your fitness and boost your daylight exposure. Exercising with friends or family can be an important way of connecting through conversation, competition and shared activity. Turn up for a regular walk in nature, a game of football or a beach run and enjoy ways of having some precious 'me time' or 'us time', away from the home, the TV and the distractions of chores, homework and technology.

And most times when we do make the effort and turn up the result is fun, where we're glad we pushed ourselves to go. In fact, those reluctant, unplanned evenings are often the best times. There were no real expectations or we perhaps made only a minimal effort to get ready and dress up. They're the times that often work out to be the most satisfying and rewarding of all.

It's also the case that sometimes we'll make an effort and turn up but it won't be such a brilliant evening. All's not lost. We can still enjoy each other's company and nurture our friendships. Rather than feel disappointed or that we've wasted our time we can learn to relax and go with the flow.

Consider those times to be an investment in having a more laid back approach, chatting and laughing together and allowing the evening to move at its own pace. When you decide to make the effort and turn up it can bring its own satisfaction and reward.

Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.

Show How Much You Care

I recently received a most gorgeous gift, a gold tissue-paper lined basket, containing jars of home-made jelly, chutney and a beautifully decorated home-made cake. I was blown away that someone had cared enough to think of me and go to such a lot of effort.

And it set me off reflecting on the many different ways we can let someone know that we're thinking about them, that we value our friendship and we care.

In these days of social media and selfies it's often the case that special moments become a blur and all merge into each other. Every outing and time spent together seems to be memorialised by someone somewhere. But certain dates and times are more special than others.

-Why not show how much you care by making a scrapbook or album of those people, dates and events that have especial relevance for them. A much-loved pet, the birth of a child, a landmark victory, the loss of someone special; all those could be collated in an attractive book. It would be treasured and revisited with affection, making them laugh or cry, no doubt providing hours of nostalgia, reflection and reminiscing.

- Making a personalised gift that utilises your special skills is another way to show how much you care. If you're an artist you might paint their favourite view, their pet, something you know they'll treasure. You'll be spending your time doing something meaningful for them whilst making a generous gesture, sharing your talent and giving of yourself. Other ideas could be perhaps providing support with admin, accounts, de-cluttering, decorating a cake or cooking your signature dish.

- Helping out with chores when someone's stressed and pushed for time can show how much you care. It's thoughtful of you to collect their children from school, help in the garden, with the ironing or by making a meal, and it can be a lifeline to assist them in this way when they're really pushed for time. Or maybe offer to babysit one evening so they can have a little time for themselves; then they can go out or do something really indulgent for a change.

- Showing how much you care can be as simple as picking up a flyer for a free talk, show or exhibition that you know would be of interest to them. It's another thoughtful gesture that says, 'I saw this and thought of you'.

- Setting aside time to pick up the phone and call them simply to chat, dedicating as much time as it takes, can be an insightful way to show you care, especially if the other person has a lot going on and is struggling to get out of the house. You could both make a drink, get comfortable and settle down to talk things through. Being listened to and feeling supported can make all the difference at stressful times.

- Asking, 'what can I do to help', and showing that you're genuine and serious about your offer can be important when someone is going through a particularly hard time. Knowing that you're on their team can make all the difference. Things don't seem as bleak when we're not alone, with someone to share it with.

- If you're partnered showing you care is not about the expensive gifts, but more about the day-to-day touches that demonstrate love and commitment. Drawing your partner a bath after they've had a stressful, busy day, cooking a meal, having a drink ready as they walk through the door, tidying up - all these can be much appreciated ways to show you care, and all cost nothing financially.

How wonderful that after receiving such a lovely, treasured gift it prompted me to reflect on the different ways we can show others how much we care. I daresay that you'll be able to add several of your own to the list. Please do!

Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.