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It's your favorite girl @debbie-ese 😍
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Back then in Primary and Secondary school it was quite easy to make friends, all you need to do is walk up to the person and start a conversation or even invite them to play football with you or join you on the swing. At that stage of life you're less worried about being rejected and you also don't have a list of qualities you're looking out for in your friends.
However, the moment you become adults the same rules that you used at the elementary stage doesn't work anymore. We have set standards that shape our personalities and life as a whole. Even when we spend time around the people that we find ourselves around, they may not be the people we really want to be with. The fear of rejection is also predominant at this stage than when you were much younger.
It is quite difficult to form strong friendship as you get older. This is because as you grow old you start to lose some of the friendship that you've formed for years due to relocation, marriage, getting a new demanding job, etc. So, start all over to know a new person, trusting and socializing with them may be quite difficult. But you need to approach making new friends with an open and positive mind. If you don't have a positive approach towards meeting and buildings new bonds you probably won't (on the long run).
Don't approach the process of making new friends like that difficult course during your university days - bothered about being rejected or whether you'd fit into the group. Use the approach of a little child that just want to have new beautiful experiences by meeting new people. Don't create an unnecessary imaginary criteria for choosing your new friends such as age, gender, ethnicity etc. Instead, be open minded and approachable as well.
You may not even realize that your friend may even be your next door neighbour or that one person you only wave across the street on a daily basis. Most times we just say "Hello" to our neighbors without even taking a moment to start a conversation. We rush to lock our door and the next time we are seeing them is when we are going to work the next morning. There may be a great friendship waiting for you just next door or across the street, so the next time you see them do more than waving - start a meaningful convo.
One place to easily make friendship as adults is our place of work. Even though it is a place meant for official business, it can also be a space where some non-work-related things can be done especially when it is safe. Most people spend a chunk of their time at work everyday with their colleagues, so it is not bad if you invite your co-workers to an event you'd be attending over the weekend. Or perhaps, you can invite them to the gym, movies, cooking club if you observed you have similar interests.
Moreso, you need to stay in contact with your friends after establishing the friendship. Friendship is not a one-way traffic. Both parties must ensure they maintain it. Make sure you reach out to your friend, ask about their well-being, business, and things that are important to them. If you don't constantly maintain the friendship, it will fade off in no time.
All images designed by me using Canva