Making friends when you're shy can be difficult. Here are some ways you can push yourself to make lasting friendships.

Pay attention to what you have in common with others. Rather than seeing yourself as different from others, notice what similarities you share. 【小题1】 As you continue talking, you may find you have even more in common.

Learn to appreciate who you are. 【小题2】 But it's important not to be too hard on yourself if you don't like the fact that you are shy. Learning to love yourself will help you gain the confidence it takes to meet new people and make lasting connections.

【小题3】 Think about what interests you or something you've wanted to learn and look for clubs or teams at your school or local community center. Think about what skills you have to offer and you can look for a group in your neighborhood.

If a potential friend asks you to hang out, say yes! If someone asks you to spend time with them, why not try? You might feel anxious if a coworker asks you to grab lunch or a classmate invites you to a library study session. 【小题4】 Though you may not always be in the mood to socialize, you'll most likely find yourself having a great time once you get there.

A professional can help. A professional can help you explore why you may be having a difficult time building your confidence and making new friends. 【小题5】

Who do you count as your friends? From our best friend forever to a work mate, it’s good to have someone to chat with or offer comfort and support. But when it comes to friendship, is it more important to have quantity or quality?

The recent isolation we have experienced due to the coronavirus pandemic(冠状病毒流行病) has made some of us question our friendships. We’ve fallen out of touch with friends and acquaintances(熟人), and it may feel awkward, but do we actually have to reawaken every relationship we once had? It might be time to think about who you kept in touch with, who you missed talking to, and who you didn’t. In short, maybe it’s time to reset your list of real mates.

There’s no duty to stay friends, and writing for BBC Worklife, Bryan Lufkin says: “While people have known for years that friendships are unquestionably good for your health, experts say it’s only natural for acquaintances and even friends to lose contact with each other as time goes on – and it’s nothing to feel guilty about.”

Of course, it can be hard to choose who’s in your friendship circle. This is what Suzanne Degges-White, professor at Northern Illinois University, calls our ‘friendscape(朋友圈)’. She says, “in life, as we go through certain stages and ages, our attention changes, and we want to be around people who are like us.”

So, changing friends is normal, but we still need those special friends who’ve known us long term. These are friendships we spend time on. According to Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford, these are your inner circle of friends — your “shoulders to cry on” — and you have to see them at least once a week to keep them. He adds the friends that do keep at a distance are mostly “friendships of convenience”. But the advice for maintaining a good friendship is to share how you feel with someone you trust — this can help strengthen your friendship as well as giving you both a chance to support each other.

In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability.

Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.

At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.

Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.

There is a fourth quality that makes friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experiences and learn from each other. A good friend has a sense of humor, too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.

When I meet someone that is reliable, honest, and understanding. I know I’ve found a friend.