There are some people who seem to always be surrounded by friends, and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside, looking in at the crowds of friends. If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends. Here are 10 tips that will help .

1. Be Yourself
Nobody likes a phony. In fact, if you aren’t yourself, it isn’t you others are becoming friends with. When the time comes that you feel comfortable enough to act like yourself again, you may not be well received, because you are a totally different person. Let people get to know the real you.

2. Start with People You Know
Even if you don’t think that you have a lot of friends, you likely do know a lot of people. Reach out and contact acquaintances, and reconnect with old friends you haven’t seen in a long time. Don’t forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends. If you are invited to go out, go. If you stay home, you aren’t going to meet people.

3. Use Technology
There are all kinds of online groups you can get involved with. Many are local groups that plan activities. For instance, Leaflets is a great place to meet new people. It creates experiences people can join, and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

4. Be Open Minded
If you go into a situation with a judgmental attitude, chances are that you aren’t going to make new friends. Be open to new people, attitudes, religions, situations, etc., and you will make some awesome new friends.

5. Ask Questions
When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves. Not only do you get to learn more about them, it shows them that you are interested, and they are going to open up to you more.

6. Get Out There
The only way you are going to meet new people is to get out there and do it. If you don’t know where to start, join a community group or a club. Start doing volunteer work, and take some courses. Be sure to go out to the clubs, and go to parties when you are invited.

7. Be There
In order to have friends, you need to be a friend. This means that you need to be there when others need you. If someone calls you in the middle of the night crying because their boyfriend just dumped them, don’t hang up. You may be tired, but they are in worse shape than you are. They called you, so obviously they consider you to be a friend. Be that friend.

8. Keep in Touch
All too often, people lose touch with one another. With the Internet and social media, there is absolutely no need for that these days. Look up old friends and reconnect with them.

9. Join Work Groups
Maybe there are groups of people at your workplace who are into various activities. For instance, there may be a group who take walks on their lunch hours, or a lunch time exercise class. Get involved with activities that are going on in the workplace, and you are likely to meet many new friends.

10. Know When to Offer Information
Even though you should be an open book with your closest friends, you don’t want to reveal too much information about yourself too quickly. This is often a huge turnoff for others. If they don’t know you well, they may not want to know certain personal details. Keep it to yourself for now.