Most people hang out with people who have similar interests, goals, and backgrounds. Yet, variety is the spice of life. Having friends with different interests and lifestyles will broaden your own mind, as well as make you a more rounded individual. This in-turn opens the door for meeting even more types of people that can be future friends. Here are some ways you can broaden your friendship base and meet a variety of people.
Move Out of Your Comfort Zone
If you continue to do the same thing day in and day out you will probably not meet many different types of people. Do things outside of your comfort zone. Do things that will stretch who you are as a person. These situations may feel uncomfortable to you, but keep in mind that the experiences are growing you as an individual and opening the door to new relationships.
If you generally spend all of your time doing physical activities in your free time such as sports, or attending sporting events, take a plunge and sign up for a class or lecture. If you are a very feminine woman who generally leans toward girly activities, take a class in self-defense or one that teaches you how to change the oil or tire on your vehicle.
When participating in these new things be sure to keep your sense of humor about you. You may not be a smashing success at whatever it is you are trying to do, but there will be folks around you that can lend a hand and help you adjust. So laugh through your nerves and don’t take yourself too serious. The purpose behind doing new things outside of your comfort zone is to make new friends, not to be a perfectionist.
Meet Online Friends in the Real World
In today’s world, most of our more diverse acquaintances are people that we have met online. The people we hang out with in the real world are generally like ourselves. Take a step to meet individuals you have bonded with online through an epal or social networking site in person. If that is not possible due to great distances, perhaps you can video chat with them. Do whatever it takes to pursue online friendships and make them lasting friendships in the real world. As always, use caution and common sense when meeting anyone in person for the first time.
Age
When doing things outside of your comfort zone, and making online friends, don’t count out people who are in a different age bracket than you. Sometimes your new best friend may be someone that is 10 or 15 years older or younger than you. Many people say they want to meet different types of people, yet they don’t include that to mean someone who is not in their age bracket. People of all ages have something to bring to the friendship table. Don’t overlook a great person simply because of their age.
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