Everyone feels lonely at one time or another. And it can be hard to make new friends in today’s troubled and unpredictable world. The friends and acquaintances we have can be so busy and worried that they don’t even realize how lonely we are. We may not tell them how we feel because we don’t want to upset anyone. So . . . We suffer in silence.

What is a person to do?

Well, if you find yourself sitting at home alone and feeling sorry for yourself, just try some of these 15 tricks to reduce loneliness and make new friends. They have worked for many of my clients and they will work for you.

15 safe fire techniques

1. Check your address book or think about old relationships that you could revive Even if you’ve lost your job, you can contact some of your former co-workers and arrange to meet them for lunch or a social outing. Stay in touch and keep those relationships going.

2. Keep any current relationships, also . . . stay in touch with your friends and associates. Offer to meet them for coffee or tea.

3. Use your hobbies and interests as a springboard to meet new people. Join a book reading group, a garden club, or sign up for an exercise class.

Let’s say you have tropical fish. You can join your local aquarium club and faithfully attend their meetings. Join a chess club or a writer’s group. When you’re in a meeting, do your best to start conversations. Over time, relationships will continue. And you won’t feel so alone!

In the small town where I live there is a drawing club, and people who enjoy drawing and drawing get together once or twice a month to do what they like. And there is an art guild, made up of local artists who give each other support and encouragement.

No matter what you like to do, you can find a club or organization that can help you meet new friends.

4. Volunteer your time.

No matter where you live, there’s probably an animal shelter that needs volunteers to help care for homeless pets.

Our local paper ran a story last week about a man who lost his job, so he volunteered at the animal shelter. He made many animal and human friends and soon became the director of the shelter. And now he has a new life that he loves!

In almost every community there are nursing homes where lonely, elderly and sick people reside. Open your heart to them. By helping others, you will help yourself.

I know people who take their therapy pets to nursing homes and group homes for homeless children, where they allow their pets to minister to the elderly and infirm, touching people’s lives. I know others who bring gift baskets to nursing homes. And others who play music for the disabled or bedridden.

5. Take your dog to obedience classes.

You will meet other dog owners and you will be able to participate in fun meetings and obedience tests. Note: Avoid using your pet as a substitute for human companionship. But a happy and healthy dog ​​can introduce you to new friends!

6. Go to your place of worship and participate.

There will be programs to participate in and people to meet, classes to join, and special services to attend. You will find caring people who can help you make new friends and connections. Kindly reach out to other lonely people in the religious community. Your loneliness will subsidize!

7. Find someone in your life who will help you in some way. Sometimes just being a good listener will make you a lot of new friends. Find someone who lives down the street or in your apartment building who can acknowledge your friendship and strike up a conversation.

Offer your help. Give of your time. You’ll grow closer to those you’re helping, and you’ll most likely meet others in the process. And you will not feel alone while you are with others.

8. Visit your local coffee shop and join in the conversations, when the opportunity presents itself.

Get to know employees and customers, and let them get to know you. Visit regularly and soon you will have a home away from home, where you can always be part of a good social atmosphere. Be social, even if you’re shy. All you have to do is ask someone what kind of cool drink they have, or talk about the news or the weather. Engage in conversations – they are loneliness busters!

9. Read the local newspaper.

You will feel more a part of the world if you stay on top of current events. And there are always stories about local groups and organizations that might interest you and give you the chance to meet people.

10. Offer to teach a class or workshop at the local YMCA or community education center.

Chances are you have a skill or area of ​​expertise that others are interested in learning about. You will enjoy the social contact you will experience. Share your knowledge and skills with others. How good you will feel!

11. Find out about membership in a civic organization.

There are many valuable organizations that may be of interest to you. Ask if you can sit in on a meeting to decide if you want to join. A friend of mine faced the loss of her husband to cancer and joined Habit for Humanity. Every time she helped build a house, she had a great time and she felt connected to others in a meaningful way.

12. Participate in chat rooms and blogs on topics of your interest and keep up with others on the Internet. But be careful not to overdo it. Nothing replaces real friends you can interact with in person!

13. Take a part-time job at a restaurant or other business where you can meet and serve people and take an interest in other employees.

14. Avoid being a stranger. There are people out there who want and need to meet you, but you have to find them! Let’s say you go to the bookstore and open the door for others. You are taking a small but important step in feeling more connected to others and being in a positive social environment.

Do your best to introduce yourself to others and show interest in them. Wherever you go, take your best (and most outgoing) personality with you. . . and use it to interact with people. Research says that extroverted people feel less lonely than others.

For example, if you go to a nearby walking trail, which is frequented by many people in your community. . . instead of keeping to yourself and avoiding social contact, talk to other walkers and strike up conversations with them. Soon someone will warm up to you and you will have a pleasant and rewarding conversation. Going there several times a week will allow you to maintain your new relationships with other people who exercise and give you the opportunity to meet new people.

You don’t have to be an extrovert to let your light shine and make friends with others. In turn, they will be your friends.

15. Find ways to make yourself more attractive. All of us have some flaws. Identify yours and work to change them, thus making yourself more attractive to others.

The power of good deeds

Good deeds always come back to us in surprising ways. They open doors for us in their own good time. As you open your arms to others, you will develop a relationship with many people. Soon you will feel less alone. And you will be part of the lives of others in the most meaningful and important way. Go where you are needed, serve others, find creative ways to give your love, help someone in need, make someone’s day, and make something good happen. . . You won’t be so alone!

Sometimes the hardest part of being alone is feeling so depressed that you can’t imagine a possible solution.

To do?

First of all, don’t get carried away with negative thoughts or expectations. Instead, think positively.

And second, do something! Act! Don’t allow yourself to sit and complain. Get up and make something happen. Just do it! Go and make a good death. Start a conversation. Do something worthwhile.

If you follow this plan, remember to forget about being alone and stop concentrating your energy on lonely thoughts and feelings, you will soon find that your loneliness will disappear.