Go Out of Your Way

• To make friends, you first have to meet them. To meet them, you need to be in the same place they are, then strike up a conversation. If you're new in town or away at college for the first time, get involved with something that interests you, such as a single parents co-op or a political campaign looking for volunteers. You'll meet others who are of a like mind. Then take it one step further and begin a conversation with someone.
  
  

Move Outside Your Circle

• The people you know most likely have friends of their own, and your family members also have friends. When you're invited somewhere, go. You'll meet new people and broaden your circle, even if the event might not be exactly your cup of tea. Friends don't have to be clones of each other; they can enjoy their differences. If you take the opportunity when someone wants to include you in a gathering, you'll encounter people--and potential friends--you might not have met before.
  
  

Pay Compliments

• It's human nature for people to want to feel good about themselves and they'll like you for making it happen, even subconsciously. Don't lie, but if you admire something a coworker is wearing, ask where she found it. It's bound to start up a conversation, and one conversation can lead to another.
  
  

Smile

• Laughter is contagious and so are smiles. When you're meeting someone new, or even when you're in the company of someone you work with every day, keep upbeat. People gravitate to those who make them happy. If you're feeling glum or out-of-sorts, push past it and make yourself smile whether you feel like it in that moment or not. Don't let a bad mood become a way of life. You can alienate people without even realizing it.
  
  

Stay in Touch

• After you make a friend, you need to keep him. No matter how busy you are, take time out of your schedule to at least text a message, send an email or make a quick phone call to share some little tidbit of your day until the next time you can get together. If someone is going through a bad time, reach out to see if he needs anything. He'll appreciate the concern and remember you for it. Just make sure your offer of help is sincere, in case he accepts.