什么是朋友？

What Is Friend?

Friend is one who listens, doesn‘t judge, and somehow makes everything all right.

As we go through life, we have the opportunity to meet a variety of different people. Some become casual acquaintances who we just smile and wave at when we see them and others don‘t merit a second thought after they walk out the door, but a select few will make it into the inner circle and become friends.

你在和坏朋友浪费时间？真正的朋友的5个特点

Are You Wasting Time with Bad Friends? Here Are 5 Traits of True Friends

Communication- May 27 by Lana Winter-Hébert

As we go through life, we have the opportunity to meet a variety of different people. Some become casual acquaintances who we just smile and wave at when we see them and others don‘t merit a second thought after they walk out the door, but a select few will make it into the inner circle and become friends.

There are different types of friends, however, and it often takes a while to determine whether the person you enjoy spending time with is a true friend or not. Sure, it‘s great to get to know new people, and you might really enjoy hanging out with a particular group on weekends, but how do you feel when you‘re around them? Do they elevate your spirits, or put you down? Would the person you go clubbing with on Friday nights come and visit you if you were really sick? What about bailing you out of jail? Would they come with you to break terrible news to your family, or be willing to go for a picnic in the middle of the night just because?

Let‘s take a look at a few traits of solid, amazing friends. The Ability to Listen

“A friend asks, ‗Tell me one word which is significant in any kinds of relationship.‘ Another friend says, ‗LISTEN!‘‖ – Santosh Kalwar

When we communicate with other people, we can usually tell whether they‘re listening to us, or just waiting to speak. Their body language speaks volumes about whether they actually care about what we‘re saying. If they interrupt us, text to other people while you‘re talking, change the subject, or turn the conversation back to something about them, then they aren‘t really paying attention, are they?

A true friend will focus entirely on you and actually hear what it is you‘re saying. If you need to just rant away about a shitty situation, they‘ll shut up and let you vent. If you need advice, they‘ll listen to what you need, repeat back to you some key points to ensure they got all the information, and then give you some tips and pointers. Whether you‘re heartbroken, elated, or just in need of a sympathetic ear, you can be sure that when you‘re talking, your words are being heard.

Honesty/Sincerity

“We are all travellers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.‖ – Robert Louis Stevenson

If you upset an acquaintance by saying or doing something unpleasant, they‘ll likely just pretend it never happened and then bitch about you to everyone else behind your back. A true

friend will call you on your behaviour and let you know that it was hurtful/upsetting/offensive because your relationship is important to them and they want to ensure that all snags are worked through. An acquaintance will pretend that everything‘s okay and then whines about you to anyone who‘ll listen doesn‘t care about ensuring that everything‘s okay. You‘re replaceable to them, and if they don‘t smooth things out with you, they can just hang out with somebody else from now on.

Complete Acceptance

“A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself-and especially to feel, or not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at any moment is fine with them. That‘s what real love amounts to: letting a person be what he really is.‖ – Jim Morrison

Do you find that your friends are constantly trying to make you into something that you‘re not not, deep down? This could be as innocuous as someone continually urging you to wear clothes that you‘re not wholly comfortable wearing, or more unnerving, such as pushing you to drink more, or behave in ways that you feel embarrassed about the next day. Some might do these things out of a desire to ―help‖ you, in that they want to ―improve‖ something about you to better fit their idealized view of you, while others might want to justify their own behaviour by getting you to join in with them. Either way, it‘s not much fun for you, and doesn‘t allow you to really be yourself around them, does it?

A real friend loves and accepts you exactly as you are, and doesn‘t care if you live in overalls and striped socks, eat cheese and pickle sandwiches on raisin bread, or dress like you stepped out of a Renaissance Faire. They accept you as you are, ―warts and all‖.

Dependability

“You need not wonder whether you should have an unreliable person as a friend. An unreliable person is nobody‘s friend.‖

– Idries Shah

Have you ever had an experience in which you made sure you were there for a friend when they needed you, but when you needed them in turn, they weren‘t available? If you have, you might remember how much that hurt, and how betrayed you may have felt at the time. It hurts like hell when you go out of your way to take care of someone, and then when you‘re vulnerable and in need, find out that they‘d consider it inconvenient to reciprocate. They might say that they‘re too busy, or they might even ―accidentally” miss your calls/texts, but there‘s usually some excuse they come up with in order to get out of whatever it is you need from them.

A true friend is the person you can call in the middle of the night if you‘re sick or heartbroken, and they‘ll offer to come over to help you out however they can. They‘re the ones you can turn to in crisis, or will keep secrets absolutely safe if you‘re planning something spectacularly wonderful. There‘s never any doubt as to whether they‘ll be there for you when you need them to be; you can depend on them as well as they depend on you, in a perfect balance of giving and sharing.

Presence

“The warmth of a friend‘s presence brings joy to our hearts, sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all life.‖ – Author Unknown

If you were to delete all of your social media accounts today, how many people do you think would still be in touch with you next week? If you no longer subscribed to anyone‘s ―feeds‖ for information about them, who would email you in order to keep you apprised of goings-on in their

lives, or to check in on how you were doing? Who would text or call you? Or (dare I ask) even write you a letter? It might be worth doing a social media fast for a week or two just to see how many people would still reach out to contact you.

A true friend is one who makes a point to not only touch base with you on a regular basis, but also takes the time to be with you in person whenever possible. In some instances where distance is an issue, there might be Skype or Gtalk Hangouts instead, but it‘s still face-to-face time wherein you can connect with them, and they with you. If someone is always too busy to dedicate time to you, or considers anything other than a ―like‖ to be inconvenient, it might be worth re-evaluating your friendship with them.

The traits mentioned above are just a few that are associated with good, true friends, but there are many others. Keep people in your life who enhance your life, who make you feel appreciated and boost your spirits, and whom you would truly miss if they were gone. Life is far too short to spend with those who aren‘t worthy of your time, or your friendship.

Once you hit 20-something and over, you reach a point where your time becomes your most precious asset: 3 WARNING Signs of a Bad Friend

Love this article? Share it with your friends on Lana Winter-Hébert

Wordsmith. Lana likes to play with words and punctuation marks, arranging them into aesthetically-pleasing shapes that tell stories. When she isn't writing or editing, she's either immersed in illustration and design for Winter-Hébert—the design studio she runs with her husband—or curled up under a tree with a book.

一个坏朋友的3则警告信号

3 WARNING Signs of a Bad Friend

Communication -April 3 by Melody Austin

Once you hit 20-something and over, you reach a point where your time becomes your most precious asset. A bad friendship can drain our energy, so we seek to avoid them as much as possible. This manner of prioritization tends to put our relationships into prospective, by subconsciously implementing The Two Laws of Adult Friendship.

1. I will only spend time on/with subjects of obsession – Just like your obsession with running, painting, or growing your own tomatoes, most of us will only initiate friendships with those who make the most of our time.

2. I must recognize realistic variables – Yes, adult friendship is like a real life math problem—helping us set realistic expectations. Sometimes we want to be closer with others, but we foresee responsibilities that can get understandably in the way.

What is the probability of Person X + (1 Husband + 2 Kids + 1 Kitten) /Full Time Job have of going out dancing with Person Y Friday night?

Somehow, you might find those few friends who get past this litmus test, but really aren‘t worth the energy you are wasting on them. You might feel like a bad person when these types of thoughts start popping in your head. If this is a constant concern in the friendship, rest assured that it‘s probably for the best. Here are the 3 facts to consider if you think someone is a bad friend.

Lack of Eye Contact

It says something about a person when they can‘t look you in the eye. Having a bud that

stares at you intensely is pretty creepy, but avoiding your gaze altogether is even worse: it‘s a sign of lacking intimacy in the relationship.

Take a notice of how many times your friend checks updates and tweets while you‘re in the middle of a conversation. Or maybe there are more subtle instances, like avoiding eye contact while they breathlessly monologue in what‘s supposed to be a shared dialogue. Paying attention to body language will trigger that they are being rude and should probably do a little listening, so they avoid your gaze out of selfishness.

An amigo who doesn‘t value you enough to pay the slightest subconscious attention to your needs of communication isn‘t a real friend to you.

Self-Centered Interaction

The strength of friendships is based on our interactions with one another. It‘s about what you enjoy about them, and what they enjoy about you. That‘s why you can spend hours with your closest friends while literally doing nothing; you‘ve built companionship that doesn‘t require more than the other‘s best interest.

Bad friends couldn‘t care less about your well-being or interest, and this shows in the context of your interactions. They‘ll hang out when it‘s convenient for them or generally ask surface level questions, if they ask any at all. Getting to know you isn‘t important—they just ind you a convenience for the moment.

Remember, a good friend will let you rant on a bad day, and an even better friend will tell you when to let something go without dismissing your feelings for the sake of their own good mood.

Seeking Validation

There is a 50/50 chance about how the last major sign will show up in a weak friendship. It‘s a mystery as to why it doesn‘t scream in the moment that this relationship might be toxic, but the fact is, those who are poor at maintaining friendships often know it. One of the few times they will look at us in the eye is when they admit ―I‘m a bad friend.‖

It‘s not a statement that comes up once or twice when they admit to messing up. Toxic friends will keep telling you this just to hear you validate their behavior. We‘ve all been guilty of doing it, so that the cycle continues on.

The other 50 percent might be so diluted by their selfishness, that they feel it‘s OK to take you for granted. In either circumstance, the best way to be a real friend to a faux one is to tell them—in a loving way—that they suck.

Telling them that their behavior is OK isn‘t going to help them or you; it will only make things worse. We will say something when friendships really matter to us, unless we are just as bad as they are. That‘s the double-edged sword to this revelation. Recognizing these traits in others might be hard to admit, but it‘s even harder to acknowledge that we might be the bad friend who needs to change.

Here are important steps that can take you from being lonely to having the friends you want.: What To Do If You Have No Friends

Love this article? Share it with your friends on Melody Austin

Melody Austin is a Social Media Strategist and Writer who seeks to help other storytellers overcome the creative battle. You can find tips, resources, and more of her wordy adventures on her blog Words of Melody .

如果你没有朋友，你该做什么

What To Do If You Have No Friends

Communication -March 9 by Paul Sanders

If you have no friends, it feels like you‘ll be lonely for life. Of course, that‘s not true. You can still make new friends, even if you find yourself in a situation with no friend in sight. This happens when you move to a new city, break up with someone that was your only friend and lover, or make important changes in your lifestyle.

Here are important steps that can take you from being lonely to having the friends you want. Understand Loneliness and Shyness

Loneliness and shyness can cause many easily misunderstand and misinterpreted feelings. Understanding the right meanings of loneliness and shyness is the key to overcoming them.

Loneliness, for instance, is nothing more than a signal your body generates when you‘re not experiencing any social connection. It signals to you that the need for social connection is as important as eating or drinking.

If you misunderstand the state of loneliness, you could get stuck in it for no reason whatsoever, especially when you have no friends and don‘t know how to deal with it.

Shyness, on the other hand, is the fear of social criticism. Let me say that again: It‘s the fear of social criticism. In other words, shyness is just the fear of something that might happen, but probably won‘t.

If you misunderstand shyness and therefore hide or withdraw from people, they will most likely interpret that as you rejecting them Even if your intentions are good and you are just avoiding rejection out of shyness, people can misunderstand those actions as an insult to their value. This can make them think you are snobbish or conceited, and they will, in turn, start rejecting you.

Master Conversation and Social Skills

Conversation is the blood vein of social connection. If you master it, you‘ll get all the friends and influence you want.

One important factor is the ability to keep a conversation going. In order to do this, you need to learn to get interested in others and ask them questions about themselves.

You also want find a way to connect with and speak intelligently to the topic of conversation. Finding that common ground in conversation is what guarantees that people will want to spend more time in your company.

Learn to Make Friends and Build Your Social Circle

The first thing to know about making friends is that it is a skill. It‘s not something you‘re born with, as many people like to believe.

Making friends is not a magical ability that only a few have. It is a learned skill. Most of us learned how to make friends when we were little but many of us need to learn the new skill of making friends as adults.

To do that, you need to find groups of people that meet up regularly and have interests that are similar to your own. You also need to learn how to find commonalities with these people beyond that first common interest in order to turn your new acquaintances into friends. If you feel like you are bonding with an individual, meet up with them once or twice in a social setting. If all

goes well, you should meet up with them regularly in order to maintain and strengthen the bond.

These are all skills that you can learn how to do. It‘s not that complicated when you know how.

After you have made a few friends, the next step is to introduce them to each other. If you do that, you will arrive at what we call a social circle: a nice circle of friends that works with you in making plans, introduces new people into the group, and creates amazing experiences that you will enjoy together.

Once you have a nice circle of friends, you‘re no longer the only one trying to improve your social life. Your close friends will help you out with it, too!

- Paul Sanders

RELATED: Step-By-Step Plan To Get More Friends Love this article? Share it with your friends on Paul Sanders

Paul Sanders's Get The Friends You Want teaches you how to:Overcome Shyness & Loneliness ; Master Conversation & Social Skills ; Make Friends & Build a Social Circle. Start here. >> Free Social Skills Newsletter

对于害羞的人交朋友的十个技巧

Ten Tips For Shy People To Meet Friends

Communication Relationships- October 31 by Mandy Kloppers |

It can be hard work for shy people to meet friends. Shyness is a combination of genetics and upbringing and in its most severe form, it is referred to as a social phobia or social anxiety. Shy people tend to analyze more and their thinking style can hinder their progress. Here are ten top tips for reducing shyness and introducing more sociability into your life.

1. Visualise a Positive Outcome

Often, shy people are more afraid of the anticipation of meeting new friends than the event itself. Our thoughts can frighten us more than the reality and imagining making a fool of ourselves, being criticized or being rejected, make many of us fear social situations. Instead of imagining the worst,think of yourself going into a public place or a social event and see it going smoothly. Visualize yourself chatting easily to new friends and imagine the conversation flowing. This process of visualizing before the event is known as ―priming.‖ Repetition allows the brain to process events quicker and when socializing, the experience will seem more familiar if you have visualized the event positively beforehand.

2. Engage in Positive Self Talk

Be aware of negative self talk. Shy people tend to have more negative inner chatter than average. If you catch yourself saying something like ―I am shy and no good in social settings. I always make a fool of myself‖ make sure that you challenge this. It is only a thought, NOT a fact. Ask yourself if your negative thought is really true. More often than not you will be able to think of an example of a time when you felt less shy and coped well. Instead of negative self talk, replace it with something like: “I may feel shy and out of my comfort zone but I will handle it. I will deal with whatever comes my way.‖

3. Get out of your comfort zone regularly

The only way to grow in confidence is to face your fears. The more you listen to your

negative self talk and avoid social situations, the more the thoughts grow and take on a life of their own. Challenge this thinking, not only by replacing negative thoughts with more positive thoughts but also by confronting what you fear with action. Go out more in an attempt to confront your shyness. Take baby steps initially and perhaps meet a friend on a one-to-one basis. Gradually increase the amount of socializing and in this way, you will reduce your shyness. Join the gym, find a hobby that you enjoy, try internet dating or join a sports club. All of these activities will increase your social network. The more you have in common with the people around you, the easier it will be to interact and have conversations.

4. Be inquisitive – people love to talk about themselves

Charismatic people tend to be those personality types that make others feel good about themselves. They are positive, open and are genuinely interested in those around them. When you are stuck for conversation, ask someone about themselves. Ask them questions to keep the conversation going. A few pauses in conversation is fine too. Try not to feel that all the pressure is on you to keep the conversation going either.

5. Focus on the person you are talking to

The reason for focusing on the person you are talking to is to take the focus off yourself. When we are shy and self conscious, we tend to worry about how we look and how we are presenting ourselves. When you place your attention on the other person, you automatically relax. Look at their body language, look our for signs that they might be shy or nervous too. This is a good trick and helps you to hone your social skills by focusing on the body language of others. The better you get at reading others, the more your confidence will grow.

6. Take small steps initially

There is no need to rush ahead and start public speaking. Instead, take it slow and start small. If you jump ahead too quickly you might ‗bite off more than you can chew‘ and this could backfire and result in you losing confidence. If you‘re very shy, perhaps even going along to a public lecture would be a good start. This way, you are not forced to interact with anyone but you will be experiencing a social environment which will be useful in building confidence. Afterwards, progress to meeting someone for a coffee. If that goes well – progress to lunch and then dinner. Test your limits in phases and give yourself a pat on the back every time you socialize.

7. Be open and approachable

I like to call this being in ―shop open‖ mode. By this I mean, if you had to think about walking past a row of shops – some with their windows and doors open and others with the shutters down. You would be more likely to completely ignore the shops that seemed closed and pay attention to the shops that seemed open and inviting. This reaction is similar to the social world as well. People are drawn to others who seem welcoming and approachable. Think about the body language you are giving off in social settings. ―Shop open‖ mode includes behaviors like: smiling, making eye contact, standing up straight and looking happy to converse. Often shy people tend to exhibit ―closed shop‖ behavior without realizing it (ie. not making eye contact, hunched body language and so on). People then tend to ignore the shy person and this reinforces the shy person‘s view of themselves. Hence a self fulfilling prophecy (refer back to point 2).

8. Remind yourself regularly of your strengths

What are you good at? The harder it is for you to answer this question the more you need to think about it. People with higher self esteem tend to find this question easier to answer. Make a list and look at it every day if you have to. Focus on your strengths and minimie your weaknesses.

It pays to adopt this attitude. Shy people tend to feel very self conscious when meeting new people and concentrating on your good points will help you to feel more confident and self assured.

9. Make a list of general topics of conversation

If you worry a lot about what to talk about when you‘re out socializing, make a list of possible conversation topics. There‘s always the safe subjects like the weather or current items on the news. Other good topics include – favorite movies, music and travel destinations. Ask about people‘s hobbies and what they like to do to relax. Most people have a lot to say on this topic.

10. Worry less about what others think

I have left this point last as it is one of the most important aspects of fighting shyness. The more we worry about what others think, the more likely we are to be inhibited. If you live your life according to what others think, you are living your life for them instead of yourself. Remember that it is your life, you have to live with the consequences of your decisions and actions. The people who judge you don‘t have to deal with the consequences. One of my favorite sayings is by Eleanor Roosevelt: ―No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.‖ Everyone is entitled to their opinion but don‘t allow their opinion to be more important than your own.

Being shy is not necessarily a negative trait but it can be debilitating if left to grow without confronting it. We all need friends that we can connect with. Connecting with others is one of the most satisfying experiences we can have…and it‘s free!

How to Stop Being Shy – Competence over Confidence How to Stop Being Shy and Become a Social Champion

Love this article? Share it with your friends on Mandy Kloppers

Mandy is a qualified Psychologist and Counsellor and helps people deal with relationship issues, depression and mental health problems.She believes that getting through life is easier with a robust sense of humour. To read Mandy's daily blog on life, love and relationships go to: http://www.thoughtsonlifeandlove.com Author of \"Destination Delinquency?\" available on Amazon

扩大你的社交圈的秘诀

6 Tips for Expanding Your Social Circles

Communication Relationships- October 23 by Paul Sanders

Whether you‘re interested in advancing your career, or having a new group of friends to go out with, you need to learn—and perhaps master—the skill of making friends. In this article, I would like to share with you 6 tips that will help you expand your social circles.

1 – Connect With Connectors

A great way to expand your social circle is to connect to someone through whom you‘ll meet many other people. Those ―connectors‖ are the types of people who keep friends on by the thousands, host parties whenever they can, and always seem to be with a large group of people.

Oftentimes, these are very open people and are easier to connect with than you think. They might not have the time to invest in a deep friendship with you, but they love to get to know more

interesting people to add to their circle.

2 – Meet New People Constantly

A great habit to have is to always be meeting people that you can add to your circles. In reality, not all the people you meet will become your friends and not all your current friends will be around forever. This is why I always say that if you‘re not making new friends, you‘re actually making fewer.

I recommend that you go to places where you it‘s easy and appropriate to walk up to anyone and introduce yourself. Ideally, you need to go to places where others are open to meeting new people as well. Examples might be trade shows, opening nights, galas, cultural or charitable events, seminars, and talks.

3 – Establish Yourself As a Giver of Value

When meeting lots of people, you have to ―hook‖. Nothing hooks better than having a giver attitude. First, listen really to what they say and imagine if you were them; see the world through their eyes. Second, be willing to share stories, contacts, or quick advice on what people are talking about.

When you meet new people, there are some psychological principles that determine whether or not they‘ll want to meet you again. This works on an unconscious level. One of the most important principles is the giver/taker attitude. If they sense that you only care about yourself, connection isn‘t going to happen.

You can portray a giver attitude in two ways. The first is about really listening to what they say, imagining the world through their eyes, and giving them your opinion on their stories and situations. The second way is to prove that you‘re ready to share similar stories about what they‘re talking about, or introduce them to someone who could help them.

4 – Commit to a Local Community

One of the fastest ways to boost your social life is to get involved in a community that has the type of people that you want as friends. This community should be in your local area and should hold social get-togethers once a month, or more.

What you do is find one that you like, maybe on meetup.com, and offer your help to the people who run it. They‘ll most likely accept, even if they don‘t need that much help; they‘ll just be glad you‘re interested. This works great because it makes you meet everyone, and because it establishes you as a giver of value.

5 – Reach Out to People On a Regular Basis

Staying in touch is vital if you want to keep your social circles alive. You need to follow up with the people you just met, and catch up with existing friends. The challenge here is that we tend to get distracted and forget about it, and regret later on.

To solve this problem, you can create a weekly ritual, where you spend only one hour calling, texting, and messaging people. Just mark on your calendar a specific day and time, and do it every week. A great time to do it is Tuesday or Wednesday, as it gives you the opportunity to make plans with people for the weekend.

6 – Know the Kind of Friends You Want in Advance

Before you start investing more time on making friends, do a little planning. Try to figure out what kind of people you want to hang out with. List out a few qualities, character traits, or interests that you like, and don‘t hesitate to be a little more ambitious than usual. This is important because it allows your mind to quickly tell if a person you meet could be a great fit for you.

Here are some qualities you can start with: giver, interesting, fun, ambitious, honest, loyal, curious, and reliable. You can add others if you want, and you can also make a list of the activities you want to be doing with your future friends. These lists won‘t be definitive, but the clarity they bring will save you a lot of time and frustration. I also recommend that you invest a bit of time learning about friendship and how it works.

Why do some people lose friends faster than they‘re making new ones… How to Build a Social Circle: A Two Step Formula

Love this article? Share it with your friends on Paul Sanders

Paul Sanders's Get The Friends You Want teaches you how to:Overcome Shyness & Loneliness ; Master Conversation & Social Skills ; Make Friends & Build a Social Circle. Start here. >> Free Social Skills Newsletter

当你觉得孤独的时候，要做下面10件事

10 Things To Do When You Feel Lonely

Communication Motivation- January 2 by J.S. Wayne

Even introverts know what loneliness feels like. There is a key difference between being alone and feeling lonely. ―Alone‖ is a state of being by oneself without others around, and can actually be a healthy phenomenon. Everyone needs a little time away from others to plan, consider, and simply to rest. Loneliness is a different matter entirely.

While it‘s normal to feel lonely or isolated from time to time, too much loneliness can be unhealthy or even dangerous. Numerous studies have linked excessive, ongoing feelings of loneliness and isolation to depression, mental illness, and even physical problems such as insomnia, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The good news is, loneliness is a condition that can be fought against and overcome! Here are 10 things to do when you feel lonely that will make you feel healthier, more integrated, and less painfully alone.

1. Take a walk.

This may seem disingenuous, but walking has been proven to offer many great health benefits both for the body and the mind. Any form of exercise would do as well, but walking is better because it allows one to explore their town or the area around them in a way a car simply does not allow. While walking, take a different route than you usually would to get to a usual goal point. Even better, simply pick a direction at random and start. Just the feeling of walking down the street, surrounded by traffic and other people, can make you feel more involved in the pulse of your city or town. Besides, you may discover something new you didn‘t know your town had to offer!

2. Join a club.

Everyone has an interest or passion, and sometimes a fresh point of view can help you enhance your talents or interests in new and surprising ways. Even the smallest town usually has at least some clubs. Perhaps you are interested in public service, in which case the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, or the Lions Club might be a good fit. Maybe you enjoy chess and would like to play with others to sharpen your skills. You could even consider something you‘ve never tried before: pottery, writing, wine tasting, or even dancing are all good ways to interact with others and try

new things. If your area doesn‘t have any clubs that interest you, why not start one of your own? Odds are good that if you have an interest, someone else in the area is likely to share it.

3. Talk to people.

Isolation is a new hallmark of our paradoxically ―connected‖ society. Between texting, Tweeting, ing, email and the phone, people are more connected than ever before. The problem with all these kinds of communication is that they omit the face-to-face element of socialization. This can lead to situations like someone observing, ―I have 6,000 friends on , 4,822 Twitter followers, and who knows how many people watching me on social media…and I don‘t have one person I can call to go out for the night!‖ Try getting out and talking to your neighbors, the cashier at the convenience store, or even total strangers. Ask questions and listen carefully to the answers. This is a great way to make new connections, or maybe meet people who share your interests and hobbies.

4. Go to the coffee shop.

These days you can‘t throw a rock without hitting a coffee shop, especially in the larger cities. Coffee shops are a great place to meet people and make contacts. As with any other social situation, it‘s not enough simply to sit there sipping on your venti mochachocafrappalottaccino with half-fat soy and extra espresso. Compliment someone on their purse, their shoes, their tie, or even their laptop. A compliment is a good way to start up a conversation and might just make you a new friend.

5. Be alert to verbal and nonverbal cues.

90% of all communication is nonverbal, based upon eye contact, body language, facial expression, and unconscious gestures and motions. These cues, when taken with verbal indicators such as word choice, tone of voice, and overall ―projection,‖ create communication. Look for people with positive, open body language. These people carry themselves with their heads erect and make direct eye contact. They don‘t keep their hands in their pockets or move aside more than necessary to allow others to pass on the street. A smile could be an invitation to talk. Be ready to accept it!

6. Try nurturing others.

Caring for others matters, even when it‘s only done in small ways. Reading to the elderly or being a child or teen mentor is excellent for not only curing your own loneliness, but someone else‘s as well. Visiting, conversing with, or reading to the elderly makes them feel more connected and useful, especially if they live in an assisted-care facility. Serving as a child or teen mentor can help you pass on knowledge and information to the next generation, whether it‘s practical advice and skills such as how to work a polynomial equation, or giving them life lessons like how to get over a broken heart or dealing with indifferent or unfriendly peers and authority figures. By caring for others, you can also care for yourself by showing you have something of value to contribute to your world and the people in it.

7. Get a pet.

Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, once remarked in one of his comic strips, ―Happiness is a warm puppy.‖ This seemingly simple idea is actually backed by a wealth of scientific and anecdotal data. A fuzzy animal like a cat, dog, or even a ferret makes a great companion and confers health benefits. Studies indicate that simply petting an animal reduces blood pressure, anxiety, and may actually be an effective non-medical treatment for certain forms of depression. In addition, the playful antics of a puppy or kitten and the joy of training them to

perform various tricks and tasks more than makes up for any inconvenience they may cause while housebreaking. If possible, choose a pet from the vast number of rescue animals in shelters around the world. You may just save a life, making you feel even happier about your choice and winning you a loyal companion you‘re sure to cherish.

8. Try to figure out what’s missing.

The state of being alone simply means no one else is with you. Loneliness, especially when it‘s a persistent state, is a warning sign that something essential is absent from your life. The first step to curing the problem is to figure out what‘s missing. Do you isolate yourself, by accident or design? Do you work in a career that doesn‘t allow for much one-on-one human interaction? Do you have any friends, family, or loved ones you can talk to? If the answer to any of these is negative, it‘s time to take positive steps to correct that. Join a dating site. Get the contact information for your cousin you haven‘t talked to since adolescence. Ask that server at the local diner if she‘s free for dinner one night. Even if the answer is no, you‘re taking positive steps to alleviate your loneliness.

9. Is something making you lonely?

Introverts like their own company, but it‘s easy to get too much of it. When this happens, ask yourself what‘s changed. Are you with someone who makes you feel lonely even when they‘re right next to you? Are you in a new town, job, or living space? Do your surroundings or routines feel stale and overdone? What‘s making you unhappy with the situation? In some cases, people feel lonely because something is missing. In others, people feel lonely because something needs to be subtracted. This can be harder to identify, because we always try to hold on to the things we believe make us happy and define us. A big part of overcoming loneliness is defining oneself on one‘s own terms.

10. If all else fails, seek help.

If you‘ve tried some or all of these things and nothing seems to be helping, it‘s time to see a doctor. Depression frequently has a physical component, and persistent loneliness is a key indicator. It is possible that medication may be helpful, depending on the type and severity of loneliness you feel. It is also possible that a few sessions with a trained counselor or psychologist can help you pinpoint triggers you didn‘t even consider, as well as providing coping strategies. If you go this route, it is crucial that you remember seeking help is not a weakness. It takes a lot more strength to ask for help than it does to pretend everything is fine. You‘ll be happier and live longer, too!

You may also be interested in: Feeling Lonely and Want to Change? Here‘s How. Love this article? Share it with your friends on J.S. Wayne

J.S. Wayne describes himself as a male romance writer, WITHOUT apologies. He has a resume that could kindly be described as \"eclectic.\" Currently he resides in Southern Utah, where he attends Southern Utah University as an undergraduate and is heavily involved in the artistic community. He enjoys corresponding with fans through his blog or on Twitter, and invites you to drop him a line!