I would say that I do find it relatively easy to make new friends. I am naturally quite extroverted and outgoing, which lends itself well to meeting new people. I enjoy being around others and I'm not shy about introducing myself or striking up conversations with strangers.
My main tactic for making new friends is to simply put myself out there in social settings. I'm happy to attend events, join groups or clubs, and hang out in public spaces where I can chat with others who share similar interests. For example, as someone who loves to dance, I've met tons of new friends over the years just by connecting with people I meet in events. We instantly have something in common to chat about. I'm always happy to comment on someone new dance move or anything simailar. Some conversations lead to exchanging info and planning to how to come up with a creative dance move together in the future.
I also make friends through work connections or mutual acquaintances. Networking comes easily to me and I leverage events, etc. to expand my social circle. If I discover someone with similar career interests or we know some of the same people, asking to grab lunch or coffee together can plant the seed for friendship. People often feel most comfortable developing new relationships with those who are "vetted" in this way.
While it's easy for me to start conversations and obtain surface-level acquaintances, I do put effort into nurturing relationships to develop more meaningful friendships over time. This involves remembering details about people, sincerely listening, practicing empathy, and showing care for them outside the context of our shared interest or event where we met. Making plans for future get-togethers and keeping in touch also helps cement ongoing friendships.
In terms of numbers of friendships, I definitely prefer to have an extensive network of connections and casual friendships versus just a few extremely close friendships. I thrive when surrounded by people and like having the freedom to pick and choose who I spend my time with based on mood or activity. Of course, there are always those core few friends I feel comfortable enough with to call at 2am if I need them or share deepest secrets or struggles. So it's ideal for me to have both - breadth and depth - when it comes to friends.
There are a few key reasons why nurturing a large quantity of friendships works better for my personality type. First, it aligns with my high energy and provides constant opportunities for stimulating social interaction. I would struggle with boredom having only limited friends to talk to or make plans with. Secondly, having friends with diverse interests means there’s someone I can always call to do a certain activity with, whether that’s dancing, trying a new restaurant, attending a concert, or even something simple anything you can think of hehe. When friends inevitably move, switch jobs, enter relationships, etc, my broad network protects against feeling socially isolated if I lose touch with some individuals. Finally, I thrive being surrounded by different personalities and perspectives. The variety keeps life exciting and exposes me to new ways of thinking or types of conversations.
The only potential downside I’ve experienced is that spreading my energy across a bigger pool of relationships means there are practical limits on my time for each individual. I can’t always be as readily available to get together or have deep talks as perhaps a “best friend” would. But I mitigate this by clearly communicating expectations, not overcommitting quality time, and reminding friends they can reach out if they really need me. So far this system seems efficient for maintaining many thriving friendships that provide fulfillment without much drama. My outgoing and curious nature will likely mean this remains my preferred approach for years to come!