Friendships can help reduce depression and loneliness as well as enrich lives and improve health. The renowned Nurses’ Health Study from Harvard Medical School found that the more friends women had, the less likely they were to develop physical health problems as they aged, and the more likely they were to have happier lives.
While forming friendships come easily for outgoing and sociable people, shy people often have a harder time making new friends. They need to make more effort and create more opportunities to meet new people, whereas these opportunities are often "effortless" for the more extroverted person.
Here are some useful tips that introverts can try if they're hoping to overcome shyness and make new friends.
Talk to People to Overcome Shyness
Many introverts are hampered by their shyness and find it really hard to talk to people. However, they need to get over this barrier and learn to talk to people. Start by talking to everyone – neighbors, the butcher, the girl at the supermarket check out counter, old people, kids and mums with kids. It’s good practice. The more a shy person talks to people, the more he/she will feel connected to others.
A good conversational opener may involve talking about the weather (a cliché, but it often works), stating how beautiful a neighbor’s flower garden is are or how cute a mum’s little girl is – whatever the conversational opener, shy people will find that with more practice, talking to people will become easier.
Work Out and Meet People
Working out is a great way to meet more people. Joggers, cyclists and swimmers often meet others with the same interests and goals around the park, bicycle trail or swimming pool.
Going to the gym or the local community fitness center is another great way to make new friends. Sports do make excellent conversation topics.
Overcome Shyness and Make Friends By Volunteering
Volunteering or doing community work can enhance a person's social network too. Churches, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, women’s shelters and community centers often need volunteers and community workers who form strong connections because of their mutual interest.
Join a Hobby Group to Meet New Friends
There are so many hobby groups that exist, so there's sure to be at least one or two groups that will suit even the shyest person. Scan the local newspaper or visit the community center to find out where other enthusiasts of books, cars, gardening, culinary art, music or photography meet and hang out. Many colleges or community centers also offer short courses for some of these activities.
New parents can also join parent’s groups, mother’s groups or playgroups – all designed to help parents and young children connect and socialize. Meeting other people with similar interests often increases the chances of forming great friendships, since you start out with something in common.
Make and Accept Invitations
Inviting someone to tea or lunch is a sure indication that the inviter is keen to form some kind of connection with the invitee. So invite a new acquaintance to tea or arrange to meet up after the usual hobby group meeting or work out session. And if someone invites the shy person out to a gathering or event, he or she should readily accept the invitation.
Shyness should not be a hindrance for making friends. Shy people can form friendships by learning and practicing talking to people, working out, volunteering, joining a hobby group as well as making and accepting invitations.
Found this article useful? Read also Coping With Social Shyness, Building Healthy Friendships and Making Friends With Fellow Stay-at-Home Parents.
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