"It's so difficult to meet new people."
You have probably heard this remark many times, perhaps even uttered it yourself.
What it actually means is, "I can't find a partner who suits me."
If you focus only on finding a partner, it is really difficult to meet someone. If you want to approach someone you like (in a partnership sense), the fear of a no literally ties your throat. But first you have to find someone you would want to approach in the first place. Therefore, it is important to increase our entire circle of acquaintances.
During the school years, most people find it easy to make new friends and the first boyfriend/girlfriend is usually someone they know from school. But when they finish school, their social environment changes drastically. They work from 9am to 5pm, then go home, watch TV and maybe go out with the same friends once a week. A routine creeps in that repeats itself week after week, month after month. The inhibition threshold becomes greater and greater and at some point they no longer dare to break out of this cycle. Because they feel safe in the routine.
But if you don't break out of the routine and consciously look for new acquaintances, you become lonely and socially alienated. How do you escape this routine? How can you learn to approach strangers?
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