Stop Feeling Lonely! 3 Psychologist-Approved Habits for Making New Friends in Your 20s, 30s, and Beyond

Many of us have been long used to thinking that the real friendship occurs only in childhood or in high school at most, later remaining in our life forever or disappearing completely. However, it’s now become more evident that people come and go, while there’s always a chance to make a new friend, whether you’re a university student or a retired person.

If you’ve been feeling lonely recently, try following these tips to see if someone trustworthy has been in your surrounding all along.

Introduce Yourself to Neighbors

Even though to many it seems like an option that won’t necessarily work, psychologists have recently figured out that proximity actually matters way more than we think. For instance, children who are put close to each other in the same class will likely become friends just because they spend most of their time together rather than with other kids.

Make sure you establish good relationships with those living nearby, but also consider going to other places like interest clubs or courses you’ve always wanted to take.

Initiate Communication

In some cases friendship does happen naturally, but mostly you have to show your own interest in another person to develop your relationship.

According to numerous studies, extraverts find new groups of friends more often because it’s easier for them to initiate a conversation themselves, which obviously attracts other people. However, remember that there’s no need for being extra friendly if you don’t want to be considered insincere.

Suggest Doing Other Activities

When you feel like you’ve talked enough and got to know each other much better, consider initiating some kind of outing, whether it’s a meeting at a bar or jogging together.

As many psychologists claim, both in the relationships should take some steps towards each other since things are different in the adulthood and nothing will come as easily as in high school.