Sometimes life is better when you can sit down and share your feelings with a good friend.
Statistics show that becomes more difficult as you age.
When we’re young, friends are everything. All through school we can’t imagine life without them. Then reality sets in; we go to work, start a family, spend our time raising kids. And slowly our friendships disappear.
From the age of 40 on, time with other slowly disappears. We rely increasingly on ourselves as company. Yet the benefits of having a close friend are many. Having a close friend can:
Make you healthier
Keep your mind sharp
Help you through difficult times
Prevent depression
Extend your life
Makes you want to find a few new friends to share your life with. But finding them isn’t as easy as it sounds. How do you fit that process into your already busy life?
Be More Open
The first step is easy - and difficult at the same time. When you stop for a coffee run, do you find yourself staring at your phone while in line? Or do you keep your head up looking for opportunity? Do you use your phone as a way of ignoring the outside world? Or are you trying to make conversation with those around you. In order to find a friend, you have to meet new people. And the only way to do that is to keep your head up and say hello with the people you meet.
Do Something New
It’s hard to meet a new friend if you’re always frequenting the same places. Sign up for a new class. Stop at a new coffee shop. Join a gym. Then open up to the people around you. And when you meet someone new, invite them out to coffee or lunch. Then turn it into something more regular with the people you find something in common with.
Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone
A lot of the process of finding a new friend is learning to be a good friend too. You can’t do what you’ve always done and expect new results. Challenge yourself. Step out and try new things. Build yourself up into a new and better you. You’ll very likely meet some fantastic people in the process.
Travel
Pick a place at random and experience something new. It won’t take you long to find yourself asking questions and looking for help. It can open you up in an entirely new way. But traveling doesn’t mean you have to be alone; a quick search online can bring you to all kinds of ways to travel. There are many agencies that specialize in tours for one; you’ll travel in small groups that keep you safe while seeing the world. Try places like Goway or Classic Journeys.