Making friends as a child or teen is typically fairly easy, but forming adult friendships can be more challenging. Work and family obligations allow less time for friends, and you may have a much smaller social circle. Work, volunteer activities, religious communities and social groups all offer opportunities to make friends. Finding like-minded people and developing a relationship from that of a casual acquaintance to a close friend is a bit like dating, with similar pitfalls and rewards.
Step 1
Get out of the house. Visit a local dog park, attend church, volunteer for a cause you support, or join a hobby-related group, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Meeting people with similar interests or values is a good start to a potential friendship.
Step 2
Start your own social group. Look for meeting space in a local library or church and plan a book group, gathering for new moms, model car club or a scrapbooking session. Make flyers, send emails and post on Facebook and Twitter.
Step 3
Invite someone out for coffee or plan a summer barbecue or evening wine tasting at your home after church or a hobby group meeting. Follow up with people who interest you with a short phone call or email after meeting, rather than hoping that they will contact you.
Step 4
Accept invitations when they're offered by co-workers or acquaintances, whether it's for a cup of coffee after a meeting or a larger gathering, like a neighborhood potluck. Go, even if you're feeling shy or awkward, to take the first step in making friends.
Step 5
Take a pot of soup to an acquaintance with a bad cold or drop off a birthday cupcake on a coworker's desk. Make a point of remembering special occasions or difficult times in the lives of new friends. Offer both emotional support and physical help, suggests Marla Paul, author of "The Friendship Crisis."
Step 6
Schedule shared workout times, early morning coffee or a weekly lunch date with friends. Prioritize time with your friends to build and maintain relationships.
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