Find a True Friend

True friendship is one of the deepest relationships you can have with another person. A true friend is there for you through thick and thin - they'll laugh with you, they'll cry with you, they'll bail you out of jail if necessary. Here are some ideas on how to go about finding that special person.

Steps

Putting Yourself Out There

  1. Take the initiative. When it comes to finding a true friend, you can't afford to be lazy. A real friend won't just magically materialize on your doorstep, so you need to be willing to put some work in. Take matters into your own hands and start socializing.
    • Stop waiting for other people to do the work for you. Call people up and ask if you can hang out with them, or organize an event yourself.
    • Don't worry about seeming desperate or needy. Focus on you and your goal. If it all works out in the end, then who cares?
  2. Meet new people. You won't make friends by sitting at home alone every night. You need to be proactive, so force yourself out of the house and meet as many people as possible. It might be intimidating at first, but it'll be worth it in the end.
    • One of the easiest ways to meet people is through friends you already have. Tag along to a party or social event and get your friend to make the introductions.
    • Meet people through hobbies or classes. Friends are generally people that you share a common interest with, so the people you meet through hobbies or classes are excellent potential friend material.
    • Meet people through work. You might have a work colleague who you feel a connection with, but you've never hung out socially. Now is the time.
    • Meet people online. Sometimes there's a stigma attached to meeting people online, but it can be a genuinely great way to meet people. Blogging, social networking and posting on online forums are all perfectly viable ways of socializing.
  3. Don't be oversensitive. Meeting people for the first time can be tough. They may seem disinterested or unwilling to make an effort. Or else you might hit it off instantly, but you never hear from them again. Don't be disheartened. Finding a true friend takes time.
  4. Don't be picky. Keep an open mind about who you hang out with. When you're trying to make friends, being picky is not a good strategy. Your initial goal is to meet as many people as possible, so talk to everybody and keep an open mind.
    • Even if you meet someone who looks or seems like someone you'd have nothing in common with, talk to them and give them a chance.
    • You're not going to know a true friend at first sight - you'll have to get to know them first - so consider every possibility!
  5. Be persistent. Even if your first attempt at putting yourself out there isn't as successful as you had hoped, don't despair! People can take a little while to warm up, so the second or third time meeting someone might go a lot better than the first.
    • If you invite someone to hang out, don't be upset if they can't make it. Chances are they have a genuine excuse, it's not because they don't like you. Give it a week or two, then ask again.
    • Sometimes it just won't work out with someone and that's okay. Consider it a practice run for when you meet the real deal.
  6. Be patient. It takes time to really get to know someone, especially when you're looking for true friendship. If you continue to put yourself out there and make an effort to hang out with as many people as possible, eventually you'll find someone you genuinely connect with.
    • Be realistic about how much time it'll take to really get to know someone. Sure, you might hit it off and feel like you've known someone for ten years rather than ten minutes, but usually it'll take much longer, depending on how often you hang out.
    • In the right situations, you can make new friends very quickly - like when you start college, move to a new city, or join a sports teams.

Getting to Know One Another

  1. Start a conversation. The first step in getting to know a potential friend is to strike up a conversation. Find out a little bit about them and their interests. Once you get started on an interesting topic, the rest will come naturally.
    • Try making a general comment or asking a question about something generic, just to break the ice. For example, "Great party, huh?" or "How do you know John?"
    • Try to listen more than you talk. Show that you're interested in what they have to say.
    • Find out about their interests and hobbies. If you can find something you have in common, the conversation will flow more freely.
  2. Get their contact information. If you hit it off with someone, make sure to get their contact information before you part ways, you'll need it if you want to organize to meet up with them again.
    • Get their phone number or email address, or ask if they're on Facebook. It doesn't matter as long as you have a way of reaching out to them.
    • Be sure to give them your contact details too. They might just invite you to do something fun.
  3. Invite them to hang out. Here is where a lot of people falter. It's fun to meet people once and make friends with them on Facebook afterwards, but you won't develop a true friendship unless you take the next step and invite them to hang out.
    • You don't need to invite them to do anything special, just ask them if they'd like to go for a drink or hang out at the beach.
    • Even if they can't make it, they'll probably be flattered you asked. Try again in a week or so.
  4. Accept every invitation. It's good to make your own plans to meet up with people, but if you get an invitation it's even better. Think of it as an easy opportunity to get to know someone better or meet more people.
    • Accept every invitation that's thrown your way, even if it's to see a movie you're not interested in or to play a sport you don't like. Once you're there, you will be glad that you made the effort.
    • You don't want to get a reputation as the person who never shows up for anything. That's a surefire way to never get invited anywhere.
  5. Give the relationship time to grow. Deep, meaningful relationships don't just blossom overnight - you need to nurture them and allow them time to mature.
    • Once you've made the initial steps and established a routine of hanging out, just repeat, repeat, repeat.
    • To become a true friend with someone, you need to hang out fairly often, keep in touch, enjoy good times together, and get to know each other on a deeper level.

What To Look For in a True Friend

  1. Look for someone you can have fun with. A true friend is someone that you have a great time with. You should be able to make your own fun, laugh together, get in trouble, and genuinely enjoy one another's company.
  2. Look for someone who will be honest with you. A true friend will always be honest with you, no matter what. It doesn't matter whether it's about something trivial, like whether your outfit looks good on you, or something life-altering, like if they found out that your partner is cheating on you. A true friend will never keep you in the dark.
  3. Look for someone who will be loyal to you. A true friend will be fiercely loyal to you, whether you're present or not. This means that they'll stand by you, even if they don't agree with your decisions and stick up for you when nobody else will.
  4. Look for someone trustworthy. You can trust a true friend with anything, whether it's to feed your cat while you're on vacation or to keep your deepest, darkest secrets.
  5. Look for someone dependable. A true friend is there when you need them, to share the good times and help you through the bad ones. They return your phone calls. They show up for the lame double date you made them agree to. They don't go M.I.A. when the going gets tough.
  6. Look for someone supportive. A true friend is supportive of you and your goals. They won't try to change you, make you feel uncomfortable to holding you back.

Tips

  • Express who you are! Don't pretend to like something or be someone you're not. Don't lie to sound impressive.
  • A true friendship is hard to come by. It's a gift to have that kind of bond with anyone. Don't push and try to make it happen with someone you don't get along well with, and if you do find it- keep it!
  • Express yourself! Nothing says "let's hang out" like will everyone know who you are. Like Switchfoot? We're a band T-shirt. Into Buffy? Wear a T-shirt again. You get the idea.

Warnings

  • Not all people will be willing to be your friend, so just move on.
  • Never give out your personal information online.
  • If you're chatting online, never try to meet up in person unless you're absolutely sure that this person is legitimate. It's hard to tell, but be extraordinarily cautious. This means not meeting someone in person right away, wait a year. If you do meet- always meet in a very public place where there is security. Also, bring a trusted friend.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations=

http://www.succeedsocially.com/sociallife http://www.succeedsocially.com/deepenfriendship

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