Have you ever asked why it is that kids meet on the playground and become friends instantly? The only thing they may have in common is that they may both enjoy going down the slides; however; when they play it seems as if they have been friends for years.
This scenario may have applied to you when you were younger. However, as an adult making friends does not come that easily. Even if you are single, divorced, married, widowed, or have children, you need friends to be apart of your social foundation. Having no friends may even affect your health in a negative way.
As time goes by, friends often grow apart due to distance, time, moral differences and situations relating to family. People change everyday, and as such the availability of friends is greatly reduced.
As you get older, you will find that you tend to focus more on relationships with very close friends and family members, and you start to neglect the persons who you consider to be “just associates.”
When you are surrounded by positive friends, it reduces your chances of becoming depressed or stressed, causes you to stay away from violent situations and helps you to practice better health habits. Studies have proved that when persons with friends see a steep hill, they think it is easier to climb over it when compared to those persons who have no friends.
If you want to make new friends, then you need to be aware of and make use of the fundamental guidelines in making and keeping friends.
• Search for individuals who have similar interests as you, by becoming a member of groups for various hobbies and activities, take adult classes or by getting involved with community service.
• Participate in your children’s school activities so that you will be able to meet other parents.
• Notice and acknowledge the people around you; whether they are persons in your neighborhood, coworkers, schoolmates or persons that regularly visit your favorite coffee shop.
• If you have a dog, take it to the dog park so that you can interact with other dog owners.
• Become a member of social networking sites such as Facebook, and get to meet new friends and become reacquainted with old ones.
• Take group vacations so that you can meet individuals from around the world.
In keeping your existing and new friends, you should:
• Make friends your priority. Your friends are just as important as any other thing in your life, so you should ensure that they know how special they are to you.
• Send your friends emails, text messages or give them a call to let them know that you are thinking of them.
• Ensure that you’re there for your friends through the good and also through the bad times.