Change your day-to-day habits

We all have regular routines we follow and ingrained patterns of
behavior . Here are some suggestions for changing your day-to-day
habits to allow for more spontaneous and fun meetings:
Take time rith breakfast instead of rushing.Stop at a different coffee
shop. Instead of sitting hunched over your coffee reading the
newspaper ,make a point of saying hello to one person.
Lunch is the perfect time of day to take a break from your
routine.Pack a lunch and go to a local park to eat it. Enjoy the
noontime sun and be open to connections.
Dinner of cocktail hour is the most popular time to ger together with
friends.Shake up the routine and try a new restaurant or bar .Organize
a cocktail party and invite a new acquaintance.
Although the shortest distance between two points is a straight line
,it can also be the least interesting route.Try a different path or
vary your mode of transportation.
If you might have fallen into the habit of watching television or
reading a book to unwind;instead consider a visit your local bookstore
to browse.or find a comfortable park bench and watch the sunset
instead of TV.
Answering your daily quota of e-mails can be more than simply
routine.Take this opportunity to reconnect by sending a message to a
friend with whom you've lost touch. Even beter,handwrite a card and
send it the old-fashioned way.
If you like to read ,join a book club.
If you're normally a homebody who rents movies, invite some
acquaintances over for a movie night.
The people who live in your neighborhood,condo,or building already
share something in common with you. Introduce yourself :many lasting
friendships have been formed over the backyard fence or in the
apartment building foyer.
Your work brings you in contact with a multitude of people . Instead
of a quick nod, take the time for an introduction that might lead to a
meaningful connection.
Make a plan to meet in person a work colleague you know only through
the phone or e-mail.
Stepping outside your comfortable boundaries might cause an edge of
trepidation or nervousness. Accept the challenge! Wint each new
encounter, the next becomes easier.

------from <the art of friendship> Roger Horchow and Sally Horchow