Tips To Make Friends As An Introvert
Laura Lee - April 29, 2022

In the Morning of Life

by Thomas Moore

In the morning of life, when its cares are unknown,
And its pleasures in all their new lustre begin,
When we live in a bright-beaming world of our own,
And the light that surrounds us is all from within;
Oh 'tis not, believe me, in that happy time
We can love, as in hours of less transport we may; —
Of our smiles, of our hopes, 'tis the gay sunny prime,
But affection is truest when these fade away.

When we see the first glory of youth pass us by,
Like a leaf on the stream that will never return,
When our cup, which had sparkled with pleasure so high,
First tastes of the other, the dark-flowing urn;
Then, then in the time when affection holds sway
With a depth and a tenderness joy never knew;
Love, nursed among pleasures, is faithless as they,
But the love born of Sorrow, like Sorrow, is true.

In climes full of sunshine, though splendid the flowers,
Their sighs have no freshness, their odour no worth;
\‘Tis the cloud and the mist of our own Isle of showers
That call the rich spirit of fragrancy forth.
So it is not \‘mid splendour, prosperity, mirth,
That the depth of Love's generous spirit appears;
To the sunshine of smiles it may first owe its birth,
But the soul of its sweetness is drawn out by tears.

Friendship is one of the joys of life. Friends serve as pillars of support and ensure we don’t go through life’s challenges and wins alone, but making friends doesn’t always come easily. This challenge is especially true for introverted people who find it hard to form connections and instead remain in their thoughts than socialize.

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According to research, only 27% of Introverted personalities actively seek new friendships, compared to 68% of Extroverted personalities. This process presents a massive problem because making friends isn’t always a straightforward process, especially once we’ve passed the age of summer camp and organized sports. Here are some tips introverts can apply in their lives to make new friends.  In terms of interaction, 67% of Introverts say they feel more comfortable with online conversations than in person. While you can totally make friends online, sometimes face-to-face interactions help too. In-person conversations also help relieve loneliness more effectively than chatting online or by phone. As convenient as texting or email, having friends with whom you can plan an enjoyable movie or games night is fun. Although there’s the general advice to “come out of your shell” or “broaden your horizons,” you don’t always need to pursue new activities to meet new people.

Instead, finding people who share similar hobbies, activities, or schools of thinking can help you form enduring friendships. Introverted persons are generally drawn to hobbies that can be done alone, such as reading, hiking, and watching movies. You may also join an online book club or review group, check into movie clubs, or take virtual art lessons to meet people who share your interests. Finally, we may believe that we must be our best selves to make friends. We might even be afraid and aware of our own inadequacies/flaws. However, making friends does not necessitate a total transformation of your genuine self. It may seem like the most straightforward approach to “fake it till you make it” is to put on an act of extroversion, but this could backfire. Personality traits are notoriously difficult to change. You’re still the same person with the same need for solitude at the end of the day.