5 Ways To Meet New People

If you would like to broaden your circle of acquaintances, here are some tips that can provide some options for consideration:

1. Join a church or attend a place of worship. Each week, hundreds or thousands of people meet to worship in one central location. Typically, many faiths offer week-long activities for members and visitors to participate in. These may include potluck dinners or after-service desserts, sports activities such as baseball leagues or bowling teams, and ministry opportunities like Sunday school classes or prayer groups. Most of these welcome new members or guests, so try several to get a feel for the group overall and individual members as well. If you're not comfortable, you can always try another activity or visit another place of worship altogether.

2. Offer to take charge. At work or in a hobby group, volunteer to take on a new task, especially one that no one else wants. For one thing, others will see you as leader, which will bring admiration and respect and perhaps lead some of those folks to take the initiative to know you better. For another thing, getting involved in a leadership capacity may bring you into contact with others in the organization with whom you don't usually communicate. Plus, your new skills may open doors for other leadership opportunities where you can meet many other new people.

3. Do something different. Take an art or woodworking class. Join a library's reading club. Visit a local site of interest, such as a museum, exhibit, or historic home. Take a weekend trip across the state for a concert, play, or other entertainment; you may meet new folks in the audience or during intermission. Or invite a group of co-workers to go with you, then spend the drive getting to know each other better.

4. Register for a convention, seminar, workshop. Whether work-related or based on a personal hobby, attending a larger function where like-minded people will gather to learn more about the topic is an excellent way to get acquainted. Don't be shy; speak up, offer to help pass out materials, or start a conversation with the person next to you.

5. Go shopping. While this may seem like an unusual way to meet people, a recent survey showed that participants indicated a majority of them met the most people, or significant people, at work or while grocery shopping. Browse aisles you typically don't visit, or stop to try the available samples. You never know who is going to pause just behind you and strike up a conversation. At the mall visit stores you typically avoid. Ask the sales assistant for information about products you may be interested in. If other shoppers stop to catch your conversation, turn and include them in your question or comment.

Meeting other people can be as easy as making a comment or asking a question. Make yourself more visible by volunteering to lead work- or hobby-related initiatives. Become a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable person, and soon your phone may start ringing on a regular basis!