I’ve never had many girlfriends.  But this year I am striving to change from having a majority of guy friends to spending more time with girls.

So how do you go about making more female friends?

Maybe you’re shy, or you work long or awkward hours. There are ways around every situation. Be creative. If you (like me) spend way too much time on the Internet, use it to your advantage and try an online friends finder or local forums. I follow my local city forum and have had a few Internet acquaintances become real life friends.

Find a group of people who are into similar interests. This could be your work, hobbies or a band that you like.  I typically meet my friends through hobbies or work. The girls I spend the most time with are ones that I have met through friends or through work-related events (such as industry events).

Finally, join a group. Sports or education related are great because you will straight away have something in common. If sports are not your things, try a language class or a yoga class. You’ll be opening your horizons and meeting new people.

Don’t be quick to judge

When I first met Sandy, I thought she was aloof, quiet and had no interest in talking to me. After we had been working together for a couple of weeks she told me about her Air Force boyfriend. I told her I was (and still am) single and sorta looking for something. Next thing you know we’re having cocktails, girl talk and weekly coffee dates with a group of mutual friends. Be patient, give people time and just keep being yourself, friendship doesn’t always happen on the first meeting.

Say Yes.

I’m so guilty of saying no. I tend to forget dates, not return emails (which reminds me…) or just turn people down flat when they extend invitations. In my quest to find more girlfriends I’ve made it a habit to say yes to just about everything I’m invited to. If I can’t make a friend-date I will give plenty of notice and ensure I am at the next planned event.

Keep in touch

There’s nothing worse than meeting someone and losing touch. With facebook & myspace there is no reason that you should lose touch with anyone. Make a habit of getting a new friends email or finding them through “people you know” on facebook.

So that’s basically how I have gone about meeting new people in my new city. So far its been a smashing success with weekly coffee dates, wine tastings and facebook chats.

Now, if only I could sort out my love life.