Negative beliefs about rejection can be barriers to making connections.

Repeated interactions, even small ones, are key to building lasting relationships.

Practicing social skills can reduce anxiety and build confidence.

How did my best friend become my best friend? About 35 years ago, we met at a small meeting of moms who had a special-needs child. We made plans to get our kids together, and while they played, we talked. Turned out we had a lot in common. One of us—I forget who—suggested we take a walk with the kids the following weekend. Afterward, she and I decided to plan a walk without the kids. Pretty soon, we decided to make walking together part of our routine, every other week. At some point, we started walking together once a week and have done so ever since.

This experience illustrates how you can meet someone, find you have interests in common, and learn you are compatible. But that’s not enough. If you want to establish a relationship, one of you has to take the initiative to extend an invitation and keep extending invitations if the other fails to do so. If you want a close relationship, consider adding this person to your daily, weekly, or monthly routine, whether that’s in person or via text, FaceTime, Zoom, or phone.

If you want to cultivate a relationship with a potential friend, you’re not alone. Many adults want to expand their social circles or deepen their relationships—or both. And according to a recent Pew Research Center survey, a significant number of adults in the United States feel lonely. You may or may not know how and where to meet people or how to change acquaintances into friends. Even if you do have........

© Psychology Today