Friends are the most important mental asset we can have, because they lift us out of depression and loneliness and add a spark to our lives that makes us happier, busier with pleasant activities, and gives us an incentive to carry on with more positivity.
If you are looking for ways to make friends at any age, consider the following ideas.
Take a Class
Students of every age flock to classes to further their education, and to learn new talents and hobbies. Whether you learn how to use a new computer, make ceramics or quilts, home improvement projects, or a myriad of other offerings, you will have the added asset of making friends with similar desires. Find something you’re passionate about, and you’ll probably find others with similar interests.
Volunteer
The possibilities of volunteering are endless. Work in the kitchen or food bank and create meals for the homeless, help take care of pets in an animal shelter, promote your favorite political candidate, answer phones in a non-profit charity, and the list goes on and on. You will meet new people in the process, and be doing something worthwhile.
Pen Pals
Writing letters to others with the same interests can begin at a very young age and last a lifetime. Whether the letters are done by regular mail or by email, you can share other people’s lives, hobbies, happiness, and be a shoulder to lean on when there are sorrows. You can also choose an elderly or sick person to cheer up, a youngster or someone of any age suffering from a life-threatening disease, and others who would value your participation.
Join an Email Group
There are public and private email groups for any hobby or interest. Find one or several where you will enjoy discussing the subject matter on a regular basis. Everyone in the group can see all the posts and can respond to them, so it is a chance to make many new friends at the same time. Start your own thread of a conversation and see where it leads.
Senior Living Home Activities
If you are fortunate enough to live in or near a senior living home, they will give you numerous chances to make new friends. Most such homes have regular activities that encourage you to participate, so it is easy to appear at the stated times and take part in fun, entertaining, and educational programs and projects that can also result in making friends. According to a Sunshine Retirement community they also offer days when youth groups and volunteers can come and meet some of the residents. Click here to see how you can get started.
Look around your community or the internet, or read all the coming events that are posted in your daily newspaper, and you will find exciting opportunities for making friends. Putting yourself out there doesn’t have to be a chore when you find activities like these than can lead you to lifelong friends in the process.
