10 Ways to Win More Friends and Be More Popular

There is a world of people out there just waiting to get to know you. That may seem implausible, but it is true. There are many people who would like you and want to be your friend if they only knew you. And so, part of winning more friends and being popular is getting out there and meeting more people. There are several other ways to win more friends and be more popular but let's start right there.
1. Get out and meet new people Of course, you can make friends with people you have met and had a little to do with for years. But the chances are that if you have known them a while and you still don't count them as friends, they aren't the kinds of people with whom you would want to strike up a friendship. That means, to make more friends, you have to get out and meet new people. Find a new interest or hobby and get out to relevant gatherings so that you can meet like-minded people.
2. Strike up conversations Talking with a stranger can be difficult, but until you have had a conversation with them, you can't know whether or not you like them. You can't make them your friend without talking with them. This is easier if you have met over some mutual interest, like at a concert, sports meet or club. If you have met someone this way, you already know that they share a mutual interest with you so you can talk about that. Even if you just make a comment about what you think on the topic, the chances are that they will reply with a comment of their own, and then you have started a conversation and you're on the way to becoming friends.
3. Be a good listener Friendship is based upon communication. That is a two-way street. So, as well as having to be able to start conversations if you want to win more friends and be more popular, you have to be able to listen to the answers that you get so you can respond to them appropriately.Conversations need to be two-way processes. In order to make friends, you have to get to know people quite well, and you can only really do that by not only talking to them, but by listening to what they say to you. In order to have the confidence to talk to people and to have them ask you questions too, you have to:
4. Like yourself Again, you may not find this easy, especially if you have had a lot of negative feedback in your life, but you need to do it. It sounds like a cliché, but if you want other people to like you, you really do have to like yourself first. If you like yourself, you will project yourself differently and deal with people in quite a different way to how you would if you didn't like yourself. If you are negative or down on yourself, you are more likely to evoke feelings of pity rather than friendship. So, learn to like yourself and make it easier for other people to like you and be your friend. Start with finding just one thing that you like about yourself. Make as much as you can of this attribute and let it buoy up your confidence.
5. Know yourself If you are truly going to like yourself and not compromise on your happiness in order to say you have friends, you need to know a few things about yourself. You need to be honest with yourself about what your ideas, values and beliefs are. Are some of these beliefs blocking you from making friends? These could be all manner of things: offensive ideas, negative self-beliefs which stop you talking to people etc. On the other hand, are there ideas and beliefs which you really hold dear and don't want to change? These things should be reserved in your personality even as you seek friends. It would also be a good starting point to think of finding potential friends who share these ideas, too.
6. Smile If you smile at people, it helps to make them feel more important and valued. People like and respect people who value them, so you will appear much more positively in their eyes if you smile at them. Smiling makes it look like you are having fun, and consequently, as if you would be fun to know. People will be attracted to that and want to get to know you better. They may even be intrigued and wonder what your secret of happiness is!
7. Stay true to yourself Part of liking yourself and being able to smile openly and be receptive to new friends is in staying true to yourself. You can't really like yourself if you change yourself to fit in with the 'in' crowd, doing things that you don't agree with. So don't do it! Having found what you like about yourself, keep it that way. Of course you can adapt slightly. Friendships, like all relationships, require adaptation to another person, but in doing that, you shouldn't lose sight of who you are. You shouldn't do things you don't agree with, just to make friends. They aren't the right friends for you if you need to change yourself that much for them to like you.
8. Be selective about your friends More friends are not necessarily better than good friends. With good friends, they will know the real you and like you for who you are. They will share your interests and at least some of your opinions. Those are the people who will make you happy, so choose your friends with care. Don't be talked into doing things you don't want to do, just to have their approval.
9. Put yourself out for people True friends don't just make small talk. They help each other. So, if you want to be more popular, you should be there for the bad times as well as the good. If you have a friend who needs you, you should be willing to help them. It may be as simple as giving someone a heartfelt compliment. That will make them feel good and make them want to be friendly with you. Of course, there is no need to compromise your standards or to bankrupt yourself to help a friend. Sometimes all that is necessary is for you to be there to listen to them as they tell you their troubles. Sometimes they may call on you for practical as well as emotional support. Good friends give this support to each other.
10. Give friendship time to develop Friendship isn't born in one or two conversations. It develops over time. Trying to force the issue of friendship will actually push people further away from being your friend.
Relax and trust that you are someone worthy of friendship. Smile and appear as if you are open to friendship by talking to people and listening to what they say to you. Look for friends in the people who share your interests and stay true to yourself. You will soon attract people to you and develop friendships with them. Let it happen!