When you were a child, making friends probably seemed easy. But as you age, making friends gets more and more difficult. Making friends as an adult requires effort, but it is possible. Here are some tips on how to find friends.

Identify your passions
The Huffington Post suggests that in order to make friends, you should chase your passions, not people. What are your interests? What do you find yourself getting excited about? Do you look forward to spending time outdoors? Do you enjoy cooking for yourself and others? Do you love to read before you sleep at night? Identifying your passions will help you determine the best places to find friends.

Places to meet new friends
Good places to find friends will depend on your specific passions. For instance, if you love to cook, a cooking class would be a great place to find new friends. If you enjoy reading, check out your local bookstores and libraries for book clubs. Joining a softball, soccer, or basketball team is a great place to find new friends if you like participating in sports. Volunteering at your local animal shelter is a great way to meet new people if you love pets.

Fast Company asserts that the key to making new friends is consistency. That’s why attending a class, joining a club or organization, volunteering, or participating in sports is a great way to meet friends near you.

Make the first move
Joining a club or organization, volunteering, or joining a sports team is the first step to making friends. However, once you’re out there, you still need to make the first move by striking up conversations with other people. It can be very intimidating to start a conversation with a total stranger, but the more you do it, the easier it will get.

Don’t be offended if the conversation ends in a dead-end. Many conversations won’t yield friendships, but occasionally, they will.

You don’t have to have anything profound to say to start a conversation. Start by simply greeting someone and asking her how she’s doing. If you join a book club, get to the meeting a few minutes early, and ask another member who his favorite authors are. If you join a cooking class, ask the person next to you what her favorite food is. Giving someone a compliment is also a good conversation starter. For example, you could say, “I love your sweater. Where did you get it?”

WikiHow asserts that the way you carry yourself can have an impact on whether or not others approach you when you’re out in public.

Do:

• Smile.
• Make eye contact.

Don’t:

• Frown.
• Look bored.
• Fold your arms.
• Squint.

Extend an invitation
Once you’ve had a few conversations with someone and feel comfortable with that person, ask her to get together with you outside of your usual setting. Ask a co-worker, fellow classmate, or club member to lunch, coffee, or happy hour. Happy hour is a great time to meet new friends.

Follow up
After you’ve spent time with the person you want to become friends with, send him an email or text letting him know that you had a good time. Ask if he’d like to get together again sometime, and follow up by making some concrete plans.

Making friends as an adult takes time and effort. By getting out there, starting conversations with others, and inviting potential friends to spend time with you, you can make and maintain quality friendships.