You can make friends and build a social life without having to let go of your introverted nature. That’s exactly what you’ll learn to do here.
You can mingle with others as an introvert without disregarding your introverted nature. Introverts are just people who feel more excitement and comfort towards peaceful and quiet environments. It doesn’t mean all introverted people are automatically anti-social.
A lot of people also think that introverts dislike having to make friends and socialize with others. That is an unfortunate misconception that people have towards introverted people. But you, as an introvert, know for a fact that this isn’t true at all. Introverted or not, we all crave and need friendship. The need to socialize is embedded in our system. It is embedded in your system.
With that said, learn how to make friends and build a social life as an introvert. Satisfy your needs to socialize without going against your nature.
How To Make Friends & Build A Social Life As An Introvert
Below are 15 tips on how you can make friends and build a social life as an introvert.
1. Ask help from the friends you already have
Going out and getting surrounded by people you don’t know will always become easier if you’re with people you trust. It’s always a good idea to have friends along with you if you want to socialize with other people.
Your friends can help you meet other people and go up to them, they can also introduce you to other people, or they can simply be present and provide you with moral support.
As an introvert, the friends you have now will understand your need for support and guidance. All you have to do is ask them and they’ll be there for you. If you have friends who you believe are more outgoing then give them a call and a head’s up.
2. Perfectly time your hangouts
Don’t just go out for the sake of going out. Don’t do it on a whim. You need to make sure that when you do go out, you’re in the right mood and mindset. When you do go out, make sure that you want to go out.
This is something you need to keep in mind if you’re to make friends and build a social life as an introvert. Extroverts go out pretty much whenever they can because they feel energized when they do. This is not the case for you as an introvert. You don’t need to go out every night. You can simply go out when you feel like it’s a good time for you to go out.
When this is the case, you’re able to socialize better. Your mood is perfect and you have more drive to have conversations with other people, thus allowing you to make friends and build a social circle more effectively.
3. Make use of social media
One of the beauties of today’s technology is you don’t always have to go out to meet new people. Today, you can simply hold your phone in your hand or sit in front of your computer and you already have the opportunity to communicate with other people.
Your social media accounts are great platforms to meet new people and get in touch with your friends. Make sure you take advantage of them. When you meet someone online who you feel like you have a lot in common with, chat with that person more.
Just make sure that all of your internet chatting to make friendships will lead to a face-to-face meeting in real life. The power of social media is great but never let it replace your social life as a whole. It should only be used as a temporary and convenient tool.
4. Online forums and chat groups
Aside from your social media accounts, you can also check out online forums and a variety of chat groups. If there’s something you’re passionate about like a form of literature or art or if there’s any topic you want to talk about, there’s a high chance that you’ll find a forum for it online.
Browse the world wide web for those kinds of forums. Make sure you find ones with people that can have healthy discussions. And like I’ve said earlier, once you find and chat with someone you connect with, make sure you meet them in person eventually.
The internet is a good place for introverts to make friends. I know it can be nerve-wracking to talk to a stranger in person. If that’s something you’re not comfortable with yet, then the online game is for you.
5. Join a club for something you’re interested and passionate in
There are a lot of clubs, groups, and communities out there that you can partake in if you want to meet like-minded people. Whether you’re into arts, sciences, math, media, etc, you’re likely to find a club you can join in.
Doing this will help you make friends and build a social life easier. As an introvert, it’ll be so much easier for you to connect with people who share your interests. Not only that, but you’ll also have the chance to grow and improve your craft.
6. Learn when to say Yes and No
When you get asked out by somebody, a friend, or an acquaintance, you have the right to say no every once in a while. As I’ve mentioned, you should only go out when you feel like going out. Do not force yourself to go out to socialize if you aren’t feeling up to it.
On the other hand, you shouldn’t just say no all the time either. You should also take the time and effort to leave your comfort zone every once in a while. This is the essence of making friends. Your time and effort is money for your social life. Don’t say “no” one too many times.
7. Be selectively social
The most socially active introverts are neither secluded nor are they as outgoing as extroverts. They only have a handful of friends, but those friends are for keeps. Why? Because they are socially selective. They only make friends with people they know they have connections with. They don’t attempt to befriend every single person they meet.
This is what you should strive to achieve if you want to make friends and build a social life as an introvert. Be socially selective. When you go out, don’t put it in your head that you have to befriend every single person in that room. Instead, stick your head out and find people you feel like you can connect with.
Those are the kinds of people you should approach.
8. Befriend other introverts
Who knows introverts best but introverts themselves? Surround yourself with other introverts and you’ll have an amazing support system.
Mind you, don’t just make friends with every single introvert you meet. Befriend introverts who are also eager to make friends and build a social life. That way, you all are going through the same journey and you all understand the path of being an introvert in a social world.
Keep in mind, you don’t always have to exclusively make friends with just other introverts. At least, not down the line. This is a very good thing for you to do to help you get started.
9. Get to know people who are different from you
In time, you’re going to want to attempt to interact with people who seem like they’re the opposite of you. This is a dynamic that makes for a very interesting friendship and it’s something you want to have in your life.
The idea of having a friend that is somewhat different from you is it opens doors to so many other things you never expected for yourself. If you’re an introvert, making friends with an extrovert will give you a close glimpse of how they socialize. You can be an observer or just be present whenever they do something too crazy for you.
As long as you have a connection with someone, you understand one another emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, you can have a long-lasting bond with them. Your differences won’t matter then.
10. Be yourself
The idea of this article is for you to make friends and build a social life as an introvert. Being an introvert is who you are. That is not something you discredit and disregard. Stay true to yourself and your nature and just be yourself.
The people you’ll meet with whom you can be friends will appreciate your honesty and transparency. Believe me, it’s a very important matter for a lot of people. Make sure you don’t take that for granted.
If you try to be somebody you’re not, you’ll only end up hating this process, or worse, you’ll end up hating yourself. Staying true to your nature is the best and healthiest way to go about this.
11. Focus outwards
Whenever you’re out to meet other people, make sure that your focus is on the outside. Your surroundings, other people, etc.
You don’t want to always focus inwards. If you do this, you’ll be self-conscious all night. You’ll get more nervous and you’ll start to have thoughts like “Do I belong here?” or “Do people even want to talk to me here?”
Stop focusing on yourself and focus on the people you’ll interact with instead. Stop listening to your thoughts of self-doubt and listen to the stories of others. Give them your undivided attention and empathize with them. That’s how you can make connections with people. That’s how you can make friends and build a social life.
12. Ask the right questions
In continuation of the previous point of paying attention to others, make sure you hit the nail by probing them the right questions. Ask the things you need to ask to get to know them better.
If there are parts of their stories you don’t quite understand, ask. If there are things you want to know more about them, ask.
You can also encourage them to speak more by asking to follow up questions. If they’ve said something interesting and you want them to talk more about that, then ask.
Asking others questions in conversations will make them feel like you’re paying attention to them. It lets them know that you’re interested. Whenever it is your time to speak, they’ll pay you the same courtesy of listening. You can then create a better connection with them this way.
13. Be more open-minded
As you go out more and more to meet more people, you will meet others who’ll have differing opinions with you. You need to know that that’s okay. You won’t always see eye-to-eye with everyone you meet. That’s the thing with opinions, everyone has them.
When you encounter someone who has a point of view that’s different from your own, don’t argue and/or belittle. If a discussion is put forth, then have a discussion that’s healthy and respectful. Stay open-minded.
If you don’t end up being friends with that person, at least you remained composed and respectful. On top of that, you remained open-minded. This is a good thing for you to have if you want to make friends and build a social life as an introvert.
14. Take it one step at a time
You need to go slowly, but surely if you want to rise in the social world as an introvert. You need to know that this won’t happen overnight. It will take time and it will take some hangouts and parties for you to get the hang of it.
You will successfully make friends and build a social life if you remain patient throughout this whole thing. That’s just what you need to keep in mind right now. Take it one step at a time. Talk to a few people at each party. Interact with those you feel like you can connect with. Quality over quantity.
15. Shut off every once in a while
Finally, as an introvert, you need your alone-time. Don’t disregard that. Shut off every once in a while. Stay at home, read your favorite book, watch your favorite movie, and shut out the outside world. This is how you can make friends and build a social life in a healthy manner as an introvert.
Don’t socialize in the same way extroverts do. Follow your own thing as an introvert. Rest if things get too exhausting. Allow yourself time to recharge, so to speak. Just get out there when you’re ready again. You’ll be more efficient in socializing if you recharge every once in a while.
Study and Apply To Make Friends And Build A Social Life
Once you’re able to internalize everything you’ve just read here, make sure you can properly apply them to your daily life. There’s no need to rush on this. Take all the time you need in learning more about how to be more social to make friends.
Better yet, grab a copy of my eBook as it will teach you everything you need to know about improving your social skills, overcoming shyness, making conversations and making friends.
When you’re ready, finally go out there. Apply everything that you’ve learned and build your social life slowly but surely. This is a very exciting process but it can also take a while. So make sure to be patient and be constantly dedicated. Good luck!