Smart Ways To Expand Your Social Circle
After spending the best part of the last two years indoors, most people have realized how much of their social skills have disappeared. Now that many places are opening and mingling is encouraged, it might be challenging for you to meet new people, especially if you find it difficult to meet them. Well, you’re not alone. About 70% of people have a tough time making friends. Whether you’re reviving your social life post-pandemic or recently moved to a new city, expanding your social network can take work. However, you can achieve it with the right steps. Here’s how to make new friends and grow your social circle from a contributor.
Maintain your current friendships
If you’re not familiar with the poem ‘Make new friends but keep the old,’ you should consider it, especially if you have a group of amazing friends that you love and cherish. Plus, it’s also much easier to maintain old friendships than to start a new one. So, how do you maintain your existing friendships? One of the most important things you can do is show them that you care about them. That doesn’t mean you have to take extreme measures to show your love. You can easily do that by remembering their birthdays, helping them during tough times, and telling them how much their friendship means.
You should also prioritize them, even if you have busy schedules. Set a few hours aside to catch up with your friends, whether for drinks at a bar or long phone calls catching up on what’s going on. Sometimes, things can get a little stale, or you might not have much to discuss. When that happens, you can do little activities that spark interesting discussions. You might be surprised. Sometimes, you can meet new people through your old friends and widen your social circle. So, don’t rule any old friends out yet.
Start or join a book club
Book clubs are excellent ways for you to get to know people. You can either start or join a running book club. You don’t have to know anyone to join a book club, as you can easily bond with other people over your book discussions. Sometimes, these discussions might lead to more interesting topics and meaningful friendships. It can also be good for your profession, as you can meet high-level professionals who love the same books.
Another cool thing about book clubs is that you get to meet different people from all sorts of backgrounds, and it can be a learning experience. If you want to start a book club, you will need to know what type of books you would like to read, how many members you would like to have, and how often you must schedule meetings or hangouts. Typically, it shouldn’t cost much for you to start a book club. However, it can be pretty expensive if you rent your meetings. Otherwise, the only thing you will need to pay for is your book.
Find a pen pal
You might be wondering if it’s possible to find a pen pal in modern times. But there are many ways to find one, and it’s much easier now. There are several reasons why people look for pen pals, including making friends worldwide, learning about new cultures, and relieving stress. You can also consider pen pals to help you learn and become more fluent in other languages.
Of course, you can also find a pen pal the traditional way, although that might take time. Surprisingly, snail mail still works, even though it’s not used as much. There are tons of safe and secure letter-writing communities with people worldwide. If exchanging letters is not something you’re keen on, you can always look online. You can even find pen pals on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, so keep this in mind.
Step out more often
If you want to be more social and expand your social circle, you should hang out with the people you meet. That doesn’t mean you have to honor every invitation you receive, but you shouldn’t let your new friends think you don’t prioritize them. If you cannot attend, explain and suggest an alternative. This way, you’ll show them that you are interested in hanging out with the other person. When you step out, ensure that you are prepared to have fun. You don’t have to go all out to impress other people, but you shouldn’t also be a downer. Use this time to build your self-esteem and confidence, making you more comfortable around new people.
It would be best if you were also willing to let your guard down occasionally. People will connect with you if they find you relatable. And this helps you to appear more approachable and friendly. It would be best if you also embraced spontaneity every now and then. Sometimes, the best things happen when you don’t think about what could go wrong. But if you’re more of an introvert and considering a romantic relationship, there are still many online options for you to try. For example, if you’re interested in meeting Hispanic singles within your local area, try using a latinas chat line service. And if you’re looking for a partner with similar interests, there are many online services that can assist your effectively.
Improve your basic social skills
If you are the type that feels awkward or uncomfortable when meeting new people, then you know how much that can impact your social life. However, it doesn’t mean you’re not a nice person or a good friend. You need to work on your social skills. So, where do you start? It always helps to start small, especially if social gatherings overwhelm you. It could be a simple ‘hello’ or ‘thank you. You might be surprised to find out that all it might take to start a conversation is a smile.
When engaging with others, ask open-ended questions so that you don’t get only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses. If you’re a shy person, you can encourage people to talk about themselves and show that you’re interested in what they have to say.
Meeting new people and widening your social circle is not easy, but you will make a new friend or two with these tips. Ensure that you are mentally and physically prepared to put effort into your new relationships.