Why you are never too old to make new friends
What do your friends mean to you?
Do you have lots of friends or just a small close handful? It really doesn’t matter and there is no right or wrong way. But one thing I truly believe in is always being open to making new friends.
Some people may wince at the idea of this. It can be very daunting to think about going somewhere new and speaking to someone you’ve never met before. And even harder to then take this to the next level and exchange numbers (or social media profiles!) - it can feel like you are dating someone!
However one thing that has really helped me is being open to making new friends through my life journey. At times I have felt sad because I have become distant from old friends, or our lives have changed so much that we no longer have the same things in common. I have longed for that connection again and to find that common ground.
But I have also seen great benefits in making new friends as I have gone through different stages in my life.
I moved into my own place a few years ago and I knew no one in the area. I decided to join a running club and I made a great new friend there. It wasn’t easy - I was totally nervous to go to the running club in the first place. And then when I was there at the first session, I was too scared to speak to anyone. But eventually we realised we were similar speeds and we would be running together and chatting. We clicked straight away and eventually we would hang out at mine after running club and eat pizza and drink gin together! We had a lot of laughs and as we were both single at the time we would share stories and help each other in our quest for finding love!
Another friend I made in my recent years was when I went to an outdoor music festival on my own, and I saw a really lovely lady sitting with her dogs nearby. I was watching how cute her dogs were throughout the concert and at the end she came over and said hello to me. We became great friends and had lots of fun times hanging out together (along with her dogs too!).
I made both these friends when I went out and did something that I wanted to do on my own. But equally, it would have been really easy for me not to do these things and carry on with my ‘normal’ routine. I think too often we spend our lives doing the things other people want to do and we don’t pursue our own passions.
Here are my 3 key tips for meeting new friends along your life journey:
Think about hobbies or things you would love to try.
Find a local club or event and go on your own if you can (you could even contact the organiser before to make you feel more at ease).
When you are there, smile and say hello to people - your body language makes a huge difference!
The most important thing to remember is that your old friends will always be there for you if they are true friends. But as your life changes and you grow, it can be really special to meet new people along the way that can positively shape and influence your life journey.
And here’s a quick activity for you...
Think about who is your oldest friend and your newest friend? What could you do to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something you love? You may meet a new friend along the way!
Jennie, With Love xx
