Making friends can be tough..

The information shared in this article has been sourced from the ReachOut which has lots of resources for young people and tools on how to make friends, what makes a good friend and how to develop social skills.

We all need friends. We all need a sense of belonging and seek out meaningful connections whether it's at home, at work or in our community.  For some of us it's scary, we feel awkward, and simply put we find it difficult to make friends.

We have summarised some tips and ideas on developing skills in developing friendships and identifying what makes a good friend.

If making friends is difficult for you, this doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Try these tips to improve your chance of making friends:

• HONESTY: Think about who you are - what do you enjoy, what makes you happy, what type of people do you have fun with, what interests you and then STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF and let people know about the real you when developing friendships.
• DON'T CHANGE: Don't feel like you have to change who you are in order to get people to like you.
• CONFIDENCE:  is attractive, and if you maintain confidence in who you are as a person then people will naturally want to get to know you
• AVOID: Avoid friendships that are based on gossip and mutual dislike of others as these friendships can become toxic and untrustworthy fast
• PATIENCE: Have patience as you work towards making friends, as it takes time to develop a network of friendships based on mutual trust and interests

Getting to know people doesn't have to be difficult, and developing a few basic social skills can help overcome the awkwardness of socialising with others. If you are a naturally shy or quiet person, an easy way to win people over is to:

• Listen and ask questions.
• Focus on the other person when they're talking and maintain good eye contact.
• Compliment them. Everyone likes a compliment.
• Ignore your phone - don't get distracted by your phone. Give your new friend your full attention.
• Have a practice run - if these things skills sound intimidating to try, practice them with trusted family or friends before meeting new people. 

Looking to make new friends but don't know where to look? There are plenty of places you can meet friends that you may not have thought of before:

• Try volunteering or joining clubs/groups that are related to your hobbies and passions. This way you meet people who you already have something in common with.
• Say 'yes' to social events and parties as you'll never know who'll you'll meet and befriend in these settings.
• The internet and social media can also be an excellent way to meet people who share similar interests so join online groups.
• Join facebook groups or check out ReachOut Forums to meet other young Australians anonymously.
• Search " social skills"  in MyCareSpace and find some cool providers that specialise in helping you develop social skills:
  •  SocialskillsSuperHeroes 
  • Amaze Social Skiils programs  
  •  

If you have a fear of socialising, you may suffer from social anxiety. If this is significantly affecting your life, speak to your GP or a trusted mental health professional can help you work out how to get help.

^{Information sourced from reachout.com}