Have you moved to a new area and don’t know anyone? Maybe you’ve lived there a while and still have just not met anyone. I know how that goes. I lived in my condo in Southern California for over 13 years and knew only a couple of my neighbors. Or perhaps you have started a new hobby or other pastime and want to meet like-minded people. How do you meet new people?

Meeting new people can be hard, especially if you are shy and introverted like me. As I was thinking about this post, I realized that all of my best friends, even my significant others, have always been the outgoing type. They dominate the conversation and everyone remembers them. I am the friend who came along with them.

When I moved here to Northern California, I was lucky in the sense that my best friend had lived here for a couple of years already. She has family in the area, well known family, at that, which made it easy to meet a lot of people right away. Both of us, however, wanted to make other connections with new people.

In order to meet and connect with new people, you have to get out and maybe step out of your comfort zone a little. There are many, many ways to meet people if you stay open to it. Here are a few methods I’ve tried.

Ways to Meet New People

Auxiliary Groups

Chances are your area has some sort of newcomer’s club or women’s league. Don’t let the term “newcomer” throw you off if you’ve lived in the area for a while. The Mother Lode Newcomers includes folks that have been members for over 10 years. Others have been in the area for many years and are just now joining. I was a member of the Orange Park Acres Women’s League in Southern California. These organizations usually have special interest groups such as the Vineyard Vixens or Saucy Sisters that I belong to in Mother Lode Newcomer’s.

Hobby Clubs

There’s no better way to meet people than joining a club that supports your hobby. There are clubs for all kinds of hobbies and special interests from books to gardening to techy stuff. If you don’t have a hobby, take a class to learn something new! A good way to find hobby clubs, especially craft type hobbies, is to check at stores that sell items related to your hobby. In the past, I have belonged to gardening, car and travel clubs.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people. Volunteers are usually dedicated to their cause and happy to be doing good work for others. Having a happy, positive outlook naturally attracts people to you. I choose to volunteer to help animals but there are so many options. Volunteering at the food bank, a hospital, your library, a museum or joining a community theater group are just a few examples.

Meetups

My friend, Kelly, and I have horses and we had a hard time finding other equestrians. Since I belonged to a horse Meetup in Southern California, I decided to see if there was one in this area, not really expecting to find a Meetup in such a rural area. To my surprise, there was. We have only been on one ride with the group so far but have been to several non-horse events and are getting to know members better.

Join a Gym or Weight Loss Group

I have found that people who are interested in health and fitness are extremely supportive. At the gym, I know you want to concentrate on your workout. To meet people there, join a class or group sport and check out the social area. I joined Weight Watchers a couple of months ago and am enjoying the folks I am meeting. The group even does outings which, to me, is quite a bonus.

Support Groups

If you have a disease or illness, support groups give you an opportunity to meet people who understand what you are going through on a very personal level. This is one method I have not personally tried but highly recommend if the situation applies to you.

How to Find Connections

In larger metropolitan areas, you can find many of these groups online. In smaller towns, if you can’t find them online, contact your local chamber of commerce or the library for leads.

The most important thing to remember is that to meet new people you have to get up and get out. You have to make an effort to connect. You have to have an open, friendly attitude. Once you’ve made the connection, the friendship can grow.

To meet new people, you have to get up and get out. You have to make an effort to connect. Click To Tweet

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Until next time…