Making Friends as an Adult: A Guide for 2025

Are you looking to make new friends in 2025? 

Friendships are one of the most enriching parts of life. They offer us joy, refuge, care, support, connection, and understanding. Life truly would not be the same without friendships. The tricky part is making friends. 

For many women, making friends as an adult feels overwhelming, or maybe even impossible. We’re all dealing with demanding jobs, caregiving responsibilities, and navigating a world that often feels chaotic, so finding the time and energy for developing new friendships or maintaining old ones can feel like another item on an already overflowing to-do list. Important relationships, like friendship, take work, and meaningful relationships are worth the effort. 

If you’re longing for closer friendships or struggling with making friends, you’re not alone. It’s often a vulnerable process, but it is possible to develop connections that feel fulfilling and joyful.

Why we need friendships

As humans, we’re designed to be social and build connections with others. It’s an essential part of our makeup - we require relationships with others for our mental health and well-being. Studies consistently show that having close friends can reduce stress, improve mood, and even contribute to better physical health. 

For women, in particular, friendships often provide a unique form of emotional intimacy and support that may not be found elsewhere. There’s nothing like spending time with someone who just gets it, and where you can simply be yourself. A close friend can be someone to lean on in tough times, celebrate with during successes, or simply share laughter and companionship when the world feels out of control. Our friends often become our chosen families, and our support networks would not be the same without them. 

Despite the importance of friendships, women are often put in positions that make it hard to prioritize them. Emotional labor—the invisible work of managing feelings, mediating conflicts, and tending to others—is frequently expected of women both at work and at home. This can leave little bandwidth for nurturing their own needs, including friendships. Many women also experience guilt for prioritizing their personal lives over professional or family obligations, making the pursuit of new friendships feel like a luxury rather than the necessity that it is. 

Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult?

Making friends as an adult isn’t always easy, the way it was when you were a kid. When you were younger, you likely had built-in opportunities to form connections through school, extracurriculars, or community activities. As an adult, those automatic social structures often disappear. If you want to find people, you have to find ways to seek them out, which can be overwhelming. It’s scary to put yourself out there and be vulnerable enough to make a new friendship, even when it’s something you want to do. 

You may feel awkward initiating conversations or fear rejection, especially if you’ve experienced hurt or betrayal in past friendships. Making friends isn’t the whole story, either - once you have friendships, you have to maintain them, and maintaining relationships takes effort. Maintaining friendships as an adult is harder than ever due to busy schedules with work and family, particularly for long distance friendships. 

All of these factors can create a sense of isolation that’s hard to break out of—but it’s not insurmountable. Be kind to yourself and validate that this process feels weird and emotionally activating. Pat yourself on the back for stepping outside of your comfort zone and going after what you want. 

Making friends as an adult may require some creativity, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some ways to approach it with ease and fun:

Explore shared interests

One of the simplest ways to connect with new people is through shared activities or interests. Look for local classes, workshops, or meetups that align with your hobbies or interests. Whether it’s a book club, yoga class, gardening group, or volunteer opportunity, engaging in activities you already enjoy can help you meet like-minded people who already care about the things you care about. Having something in common gives you a great jumping off point to get to know folks better. 

Make technology work for you

Technology is a powerful tool for building connections, and we have options at the push of a button. Apps like Bumble BFF, Meetup, and local community platforms can help you find people with similar interests or in similar life stages. Social media groups, like those on Facebook or Reddit, can also be great places to connect with others who share your passions or live in your area. Online meetups are also a great way to be accessible to folks who can’t make it to in person activities!

Reconnect with old friends

Sometimes the best way to build new connections is to rekindle old ones. Do you have any old friends who you’d like to rebuild your connection with? Sometimes friends drift apart just by nature of growing up and moving down different paths, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t ever be close again. Try reaching out to former friends or acquaintances with whom you’ve lost touch to see where they stand. A simple message or invitation for coffee can reignite a meaningful connection.

Be honest about your goals

If you’re looking for new friends, tell people that! Being honest and authentic will be relatable to people - after all, you’re not the only person looking to make friends as an adult! Talking about what you want isn’t shameful.  Be honest about the kind of connection you’re looking for and open about your interests and values. This vulnerability can help create deeper, more genuine relationships that have a solid foundation of trust. 

Don’t be mean to yourself

If making friends as an adult feels hard, remember that it’s not a reflection of your worth or likability. It’s simply a challenging aspect of modern life that many of us struggle with. Be gentle and kind with yourself and recognize that building meaningful relationships takes time and effort. Even small steps, like joining a group or sending a friendly message, can lead to rewarding connections little by little. 

Work with a mental health professional

If you’re finding it difficult to build or maintain friendships, therapy can be a valuable resource. A therapist can help you identify patterns in your relationships, explore barriers to connection, and develop skills to improve your social interactions so you can build the relationships you deserve. Therapy can also provide a safe space to process feelings of loneliness or rejection and build confidence in forming new relationships.

Once you’ve started to form connections, the next step is nurturing those relationships. Here are some tips for deepening new friendships:

Check in regularly: Set aside time to connect with your friends, whether through a weekly phone call, monthly coffee date, or a shared activity. If you have a hard time remembering things like checking in with friends, add a reminder in your phone or on your to-do list, so you have a prompt every day to reach out to someone. 

Show them you care by listening: Show genuine interest in your new friends’ lives by asking questions and being present during conversations. Don’t think about what you’re going to say next, slow down and listen to what they’re saying to understand it. Everyone likes to be listened to, and it can help grow a sense of connection between you. 

Be consistent: Friendships thrive on reliability and trust. Following through on plans and showing up for your friends builds a strong foundation.

Have fun together: Don’t forget that friendships are supposed to be a source of fun! Make an effort to celebrate your friends’ milestones and achievements, no matter how small. These moments of joy can strengthen your bond.

Making friends as an adult is hard, but it can make a real difference in your overall well-being. If you’re looking for more support as you navigate new relationships, working with one of our therapists can help. Reach out to our office today for more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our clinicians.