{"id":33645,"date":"2019-03-04T00:00:28","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T00:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flashpacknew.wpengine.com\/?p=33645"},"modified":"2023-05-11T09:29:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T08:29:29","slug":"making-friends-meeting-people-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandbox.flashpack.com\/us\/solo\/relationships\/making-friends-meeting-people-app\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s normal to feel insecure about friends \u2013 but there’s an easy fix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Olivia June is the founder of Hey! VINA<\/a>, a make friends app that introduces women to like-minded people. Described as \u201cthe Tinder for girlfriends\u201d, it’s set to transform\u00a0our friendship habits<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nobody wants to walk into a party or to a bar with a sign on their head that says \u201cHelp me \u2013 I need a new friend!\u201d<\/p>\n

But in adulthood, many of us are balancing full-time jobs, time with partners and family, finding the time to exercise and so on.<\/p>\n

And since many of us are under the impression that making new friends should be \u201ceasy,\u201d people can feel embarrassed or shamed when it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

The thing is, we\u2019ve all been victim of the myth of easy friendship.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all faced many moments in our lives where we\u2019ve wanted to make a new friend and simply didn\u2019t have the time, tools, or confidence to make it happen.<\/p>\n

Finding friends in a new city<\/strong><\/p>\n

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When I moved to San Francisco, I was working-sleeping-working on repeat. I realised that I didn\u2019t have a good group of girlfriends to call up for brunch, a walk at the beach, or a good shoulder to cry on.<\/p>\n

I first co-founded Ladies Who Vino, a networking group for women who met over a glass of wine. Within the first few months, we were flooded with responses, and I knew we were onto something.<\/p>\n

Read more: The unexpected secret to making new friends<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Around that time, Tinder was popular in the dating scene and I started using the app to find women I could potentially be friends with.<\/p>\n

It turns out, I wasn\u2019t the only one; women I messaged told me that they did the same thing.<\/p>\n

I set out to launch the very first friend-finding app for women, and Hey! VINA was born.<\/p>\n

It eliminates any of those awkward vibes by making friendship more upfront. Every single person on there is there for the same thing \u2013 to meet new friends.<\/p>\n

The power of female friends<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Female friendship has huge value and impact. It\u2019s not just important, it\u2019s everything.<\/p>\n

Life can be pretty lonely, and you need friends around you who truly understand you and know you \u2013 the messy, complicated, awesome you \u2013 and not what they might see on the highlight reel of your life (aka, Instagram).<\/p>\n

A great friendship typically comes without fear of judgement. It\u2019s our safe zone to not have to worry about what a romantic partner or the outside world thinks.<\/p>\n

Read more: Words of wisdom from fearless female pioneers<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Women are wired to listen to and validate each other. I\u2019ve found that on particularly challenging days, it\u2019s my girlfriends who can pull me out my funk.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been through long relationships that didn\u2019t work out, and a failed marriage. While our romantic partners change throughout our lives, our best friends stay with us through it all.<\/p>\n

What to do if you\u2019re struggling to make friends<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Remember that there are plenty of people on the hunt for a new companion \u2013 you are not alone. So many people in the world have been in your shoes before, wishing they had connections that they don\u2019t currently.<\/p>\n

No matter what, your friends, \u201cyour people,\u201d are out there. Don\u2019t let fear hold you back. And don\u2019t take what others have done in the past as representation for what others will do in the future.<\/p>\n

Finding these strong, meaningful friendships IS possible in the digital age. You just have to get out there and do it.<\/p>\n

Making new friends <\/strong>\u2013 quick tips<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Go on your gut<\/strong><\/p>\n

In my experience, I have felt instant chemistry with my good girlfriends. If you follow your intuition, you really can feel the vibe of your people.<\/p>\n

But also give it time<\/strong><\/p>\n

That being said, it\u2019s a good idea to give it some time if a relationship doesn\u2019t \u201cclick\u201d right away. The other person might have been feeling shy, or perhaps you weren\u2019t in the right place. Give it a second chance to see what happens, maybe in a different setting.<\/p>\n

Be yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you let your guard down and connect with someone on a deeper, more personal level, that\u2019s when the real friendship magic begins.<\/p>\n

Make room for IRL bonding\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sending emojis and memes back and forth all day is great, but you know what\u2019s greater? That feeling you get when you hug your friend in a deep, long embrace, or actually hearing your friend\u2019s laughter. After you make friends online, move beyond.<\/p>\n

Read more: Making friends in your 30s and 40s<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Choose different friends for different needs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our lives constantly change. Your current friends\u2019 lives won\u2019t always be in lockstep with your own. So, it\u2019s good to grow your networks \u2013 even if you feel you have \u201cenough\u201d friends.<\/p>\n

Be open-minded<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many of our success stories at Hey! Vina start with users explaining why they thought they might not click with a person. But then they hit it off, and the rest is history. If you never try, you\u2019ll never know.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t take rejection personally<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to swallow when someone is a no-show or just stops responding to you. My best advice is just to carry on, and remember that it\u2019s never about you.<\/p>\n

Keep at it <\/strong><\/p>\n

We should be conscientiously and constantly making an effort to meet new people. The best way to expand your horizons is to get to know new friends and learn about their lives.<\/p>\n

How the VINA friendship app works<\/strong><\/p>\n

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