Here are a few tips to help you make new friends in a quick and painless way!

1. Be Bold

Suck it up and introduce yourself to the new person at the office or a new neighbor. Usually, there’s a fear of rejection at the root and we say to ourselves, “Let them come over first.” Give it a whirl. If they don’t become a buddy, at least you’re working on your confidence skills.

2. Find Common Interests

When you meet someone new, try to find common interests instead of obsessing about how different you are. Sometimes our closest friends have interests outside of our own. However, a love for cooking, traveling or exchanging funny tales can lead to common ground.

3. Withhold Judgments

We all do it. How many times have we judged someone before we got to know them and realized how great that person is? Hit the pause button before making any more assumptions!

4. Invite

Invite the people you seem to click with to the movies or for a group social outing. A simple invite can often turn into a great friendship!

5. Communicate

Get a few phone numbers when you meet people. Don’t stalk them, but reach out with a text and say, “It was great to meet you!” Then reach out again and ask if they would like to meet you for lunch. Find common ground and see if there is any interest. If not, move on. It’s a big world out there!

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