Cure Loneliness With New Friends
Loneliness is one of the top complaints of adults in our nation and many single people long for an intimate relationship or a good friend. It seems that once we get out of high school and/or college we tend to drop many friends. With work and then perhaps families, many people lose touch with old friends and barely have time to make new ones.
There are various avenues available to make new friends that could be potential partners, but the important thing to remember is that you must be proactive. Most people will not approach you to create a friendship so you have to take action.
People are busy but it is possible to make a few good friends and share life together. Friends can help us through our tough times and share our most exciting times as well. There is no reason why a person who wants more of a social life cannot make at least one friend if they really make the effort.
One great place to make a friend is at work because people who work together already have one thing in common: their employer and perhaps even job interest. Begin taking notice of your co-workers and find several that are appealing to you as far as friendships go. Once you have narrowed your choices an easy way to begin the process of befriending them is to engage in small talk. Ask them what their interests are and share your interests. Perhaps you share a common bond in several areas already.
Once you’ve engaged with them and things have gone well, invite them out for dinner or coffee. This is a great way to begin a friendship. You can even invite them to a sporting event or the movies depending on your interests. This way you will be able to find out if you are compatible.
You can also meet friends by attending church, volunteering at a non-profit in your community, joining an exercise or art class, or even joining an online social club. Once again the key is for you to take action in finding new friends.
Another avenue worth exploring for those feeling particularly isolated is obtaining an emotional support animal letter. Such a letter can legally acknowledge your pet as an essential part of your mental health support system. Pets can offer unmatched companionship, making them perfect allies in battling loneliness. They provide unconditional love, reduce stress, and encourage more social interactions, as walking a dog or attending pet-friendly events can lead to new human friendships as well. Considering this option can be a meaningful step towards enhancing your emotional well-being and expanding your social network.
Don’t be disappointed if things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes people aren’t really compatible past a certain point and that’s all right. I remember meeting a girl via a social network when I moved to a new city and we conversed online for a couple of weeks and then met downtown to go for a walk and get to know each other better. I found out during that walk that we really didn’t have that much in common and I think she did too. We did not continue to talk after that evening and I was fine with that.
You don’t have to be lonely. You can be proactive and go get yourself a friend or two to share your life with. I’m sure there are people out there just waiting for someone to take an interest in them. Go get busy!
Photo: Pexels
