Photo Credit: Marty Hadding
You may also find yourself exploring new social circles after a life changing event – make the most of it!Here are four key ways to start making new friends.
Ask open-ended questions
The easiest thing for us to talk about is ourselves. Use this to your advantage when making new friends by asking questions. Find out about your new acquaintance’s hobbies, work, how they met a mutual friend or even whether they like their drink.
To generate conversation, think about the types of questions you are asking – make your question one that prompts more than a two word response.
Instead of asking “Did you have a good weekend?”, say “What was the best part of your weekend?”.
Instead of “Where do you work?”, ask “What is your favourite part of your job?”.
By asking the right questions you will keep the conversation moving and gain enough new information to breed more discussion. You will also be able to discover a common interest like music, sports or even parenthood to talk about further and contribute your own two cents!
Note: Don’t ask questions that are too intrusive while making new friends, and be aware of your acquaintance’s response. Short answers or closed body language are a good sign that a particular topic is off limits. If you notice that your acquaintance is reluctant to speak much about their family, don’t push the issue – take it as a cue to change the subject.
Avoid polarising subjects
While you want to keep conversation moving, avoid delving too deeply into polarising topics like religion or politics. Differing opinions about the big issues can quickly turn an enjoyable conversation into an uncomfortable exchange. Not a great idea when making new friends! Stick to the lighter stuff for now – the bigger questions can wait until you have got to know each other a bit more.
Don’t overstate your interest or knowledge
While you may be keen on making new friends, don’t try to impress by exaggerating a particular interest or depth of knowledge. Put simply, you will quickly be found out – there is only so long that smiling and nodding can disguise ignorance!
Rather than claiming to know more than you do, ask to learn about that subject. If the person you are speaking to is passionate about a certain hobby, they will be more than happy to explain the ins and outs of golf, Jodi Picoult books or the tuning of a violin!
Smile
The more positive vibes you give out, the more interesting you will appear, and the happier others will be to remain in your presence. Speak about the things you are passionate about and don’t be afraid to express your enjoyment while making new friends.
Above all else, people are naturally drawn to a positive attitude – so show it with a smile!
