Monday Motivation: Making New Friends and Broadening Your Social Network

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As I mentioned in my Friday Favorite’s post the other day, I’ve been really trying to focus on networking and broadening both my personal and professional contacts.

Let’s face is: this day and age it’s all about who you know, and building meaningful, concrete relationships with those people you know.

But what happens when you get comfortable solely with who you know now, and forget about those new connections you could make? We all tend to fall into the trap of sticking with our social “bubble.” We get comfortable with our current relationships, coworkers, acquaintances and friends we’ve had forever that it’s easy to stay inside that little bubble and hide away from the rest of the world.

However, have you ever thought about expanding that bubble? I know I often do.  Having worked from home or at very small companies and living with my best friend for the past two years, on top of spending much of my free time with The Boy (or on Facebook and Twitter), I’m rarely handed the opportunity to meet new people.

On that same note, it doesn’t mean that people in my situation or a similar one can’t meet new people. It just means that it takes a little bit more effort on your end.

Take yesterday for example when I was out for my Sunday afternoon Starbucks brainstorming/writing session. I decided to open my eyes and strike up a conversation with the young woman sitting next to me. Turns out she had just moved to Boston from Jersey, so we ended up talking for quite some time about the best hot spots in the city, riding the T and more. On top of that, we had a lot in common and could relate to one another a lotttt. At the same time, we had different backgrounds and interests, so were able to offer each other a fresh outside perspective.

At the end of our discussion, we ended up exchanging contact information and already have plans for a possible sushi date soon. How often does that happen? Who knew my Starbuck’s session would lead to a new friend, a boatload of ideas for my future career, AND a caffeine high? Talk about a productive afternoon.

Weird? Some may think so, but I find it inspiring to hear what other people have to say. So go ahead: Talk to strangers on the train (avoid the creepers), join clubs filled with people who share similar interests as you (or dissimilar interests as you), and definitely don’t be afraid to go up to someone you find interesting. Hey, it could lead to a bright idea, a meaningful contact, an incredible opportunity, or at the very least an intelligent conversation with someone new.

Would you go up and talk to someone you don’t know? Have you ever found yourself hiding inside your “bubble”? What are your top networking strategies?

XoXo,