Having a great circle of friends comes naturally for some people. Maybe they grew up together or played on a rec sports team in college. Sometimes people find each other. Transitioning to staying friends as an adult can be challenging as people get married, families grow, and life moves on.
It’s not too late to become closer to your friends as an adult. You just have to know people’s lives have changed, and friendships will change. It’s not bad. It’s just life
Quality Over Quantity
Having a huge group of friends works for some people. Maybe there’s a big group of guys who make it a priority to go camping once a year or go to a big sporting event. That’s great. But how many of those people could you call up in an emergency? Does everyone suddenly seem unavailable when life gets real?
Have you been the best friend you could be?
Be the Friend You Need
Are you the last person a friend calls when they need to grab a drink and chat through a mid-life crisis? Do you find yourself suddenly busy when a buddy mentions needing an extra hand with a home project? Chances are your friend group might have already discounted you as their go-to person.
It’s not too late to change that. On the next game night, ask your friends what they have going on that week. Offer to host people at your house and grill out. Ask questions and get to know their partners. Find out what is going on in people’s lives besides what they bring up on their own.
The more you show interest in their lives, the more they will show interest in yours. It can be as simple as adding their birthday to your calendar (thanks, Facebook) and shooting them a quick text. Send them a message when their favorite team is playing in the big game.
A little camaraderie goes a long way. The next thing you know, you’ll be the first one on the call list when someone is having a bad day. And you know you’ll have a sincere ear to chat with when things in your life aren’t going as planned.
Celebrate Your Friend Group
Put together a little something if three of your friends have birthdays in the same month. Buy them a cake or take them to lunch. You’ll be surprised at how far the little things really go with people.