Making Friends as an Adult is Not Easy, But it is Possible

I grew up watching Friends and believing that’s what adulthood would be like. A group of tight knit, long time friends who did everything together. However, as my life took many transitions, it seemed that making new friends was about as easy as getting a cavity filled!

For years I thought this was an isolated incident. No one else could possibly be dealing with this or we would have found each other, right? I mean my husband has had the same friends since elementary school so it must be something that I was doing wrong.

Well, as it turns out, I’m not alone. There are apps devoted entirely to meeting new people. Whether you are looking to join a book club, head out to the movies or even find some other moms in your area, I can guarantee there is an app for that! Here are some of the sites that look like they have great prospects for creating those long lasting friendships:

Making new friends:

Meetup.com is a site where you can find people who share the same interests as you. Personalize it by uploading a picture of yourself and adding in what types of activities you are looking for.

Moms:

Download the app Peanut to your smart phone and find other moms in your area. This app is similar to Tinder with a very different goal in mind. Here you can form those long lasting mom friendships you’ve been looking for.

Learn something new:

Course Horse is a site where you can sign up for fun classes like cooking, wine tasting, performing arts or even life skills. You’ll find that these classes are full of people with the same interests in a light hearted fun environment making it easy to startup conversations.

While the technology is available for you to meet new people, you have to put in some of the effort as well. Making friends as an adult can be difficult so you may need a few strategies to get you started.

Tips for Making New Friends as an Adult:

Reconnect with your old friends. Invite them to take a class with you or have a destination in mind. Don’t be afraid to make the first move.
Listen! Don’t spend time with someone spending the whole time talking about yourself. Make a conscious effort to listen to what others are saying.
Open up. Don’t give your whole life story in the first hour you meet someone, but don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable.
Check-In. With our busy lives this can be a challenge, but make your old and new friends a priority and touch base every couple of weeks.

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