Set Aside Time

• While it is certainly easier to wait around for interesting people with whom you can connect to appear in your sphere, it is a much more reliable method to seek them out. To that end, set aside one day a week or month to devote to meeting new people. By practicing the techniques and skills that you need to form and maintain relationships, you will improve your chances for finding lifelong friends that can enrich your life.
  
  

Seek People with Similar Interests

• Having a common interest makes it easier to start and maintain a conversation with someone new. If you love to read, look for book clubs in your neighborhood. If you are a great bowler, seek out a league to join. Use the Internet to find groups with whom you share interests --- there are sites devoted to helping like-minded individuals connect. Look in your local paper for events, such as community-driven team sports and readings, that interest you.
  
  

Be Accessible

• Be prepared with conversation starters and you can meet people anywhereBrand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  Being accessible may seem self-explanatory, but it is all too easy to stay distracted instead of participating in the present moment. If you want to meet someone, be open to their eye-contact. Be prepared with an answer and a follow-up question if someone says, "How's it going?" If you have trouble talking to strangers, plan a few opening lines. When you go to the opening of a new neighborhood art gallery, for example, ask the person next to you what he thinks of the art work.
  
  

Maintain Your New Friendships

• Saying hello to someone is easy. The art comes in what you say next. When you find that you have something in common with someone else, ask them about how and why they enjoy that activity. For example, if you love model planes and meet another enthusiast at a competition, ask him about the best shops in town for parts and the best places to do test flights. Make plans to keep in touch, and then follow through. Send an email or give your friend a call if you hear about a great sale on used planes or an exhibition of historic models.