Aspie Tips On Making Friends: A simple strategy for how to make new friends

Trying to make friends can be socially awkward. In this video I share a couple of tips I've learned to make the process significantly easier. Having good strategies for making new friends takes the anxiety (or at least some of it!) out of the process and helps to overcome the everyday social challenges.

CHANNEL LINKS:
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// WELCOME TO ASPERGERS FROM THE INSIDE!!

My name is Paul and I discovered I have Aspergers at age 30.

Yes, I know, I don't look autistic. That's exactly why I started this blog, because if I didn't show you, you would never know.

As the name suggests, this channel is devoted to giving you insight into the world of Aspergers.
This blog started off being just my story, but I've learned SO MUCH about my own condition
from meeting others on the Autism Spectrum that now I make sure to feature their stories as well.

I've come a long way in my own personal journey.
Now I'm sharing what I've found so you don't have to learn it the hard way too.

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// WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS BLOG

You can expect me to get to the point with concise useful information.
I focus on what is most important and don't shy away from difficult topics.

The best way to learn about Autism is to see it in real life ( i.e. via the stories of many, many people on the spectrum).

In this channel I endeavour to show you what Autism and Aspergers look like in real people and to also give you some insight as to what's happening on the inside.
I upload a new video every weekend with some bonus content thrown in mid-week too.
There's always new stuff coming through so be sure to check back and see what you've missed. (Is this where I'm supposed to tell you to hit that subscribe button?)

Topics Include:
- What is Aspergers/Autism?
- Aspie Tips, coping strategies, and advice on common issues
- Learning Emotional Intelligence (this is my special interest!)
- Autism in real life: stories from special guests

Everything I do is and endeavour to go deeper and take you 'behind the scenes' to understand what may, at first glance, seem 'odd'.
oh, and I love busting stereotypes and turning preconceptions upsidedown :)

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// ABOUT ME

I discovered I have aspergers at the age of thrity.
It has been my life's mission to understand these funny creatures we call humans.
My special interest is a combination of emotional intelligence, psychology, neuroscience, thinking styles, behaviour, and motivation. (I.e. what makes people tick)
My background is in engineering and I see the world in systems to be analysed.
My passion is for taking the incredibly complex, deciphering the pattern, and explaining it very simply.
My philosophy is that blogging is an adventure best shared.

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// EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING

I also run autism friendly online emotional intelligence training. So if you like my direct, systematic style, and would like to improve your own emotional intelligence skills, check it out here:

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// CONTACT

Blogging is an adventure best shared which means I'd love to hear from you!
Feel free to leave me a comment or send me and email at any time and I'll do my best to respond promptly.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this channel!
I look forward to hearing from you!

Peace,

~Paul

[BuddhaFang]

“...I’m here, I did the thing, I said hello, now what?” Yep.

[LittleBallOfPurr]

Socializing became way easier when I started meeting imaginary friends.

[fathomgreen]

I use these strategies too ... the first time I purposely did it, I was going to a weekly thing and the people who initially joined my table kept coming back every week. One week I did an experiment and sat one table over to see if people would go to the table or to where I was sitting. They actually came to where I was sitting so I knew they actually wanted me there!

[cookiequeen]

I can not express how happy I am that I found y'all. It makes me cry happy tears. I am only 23 so not too old but my whole life I wondered what the fuck was wrong with me and now I finally, finally understand. Of course I don't have a diagnosis and there are a few people in my life that don't believe me because they think only nerdy boys can be autistic. But when I listen to you and read the comments, I understand and feel understood like I have literally never in my life before. I don't know if I'm autistic, but I know that I found a community where I fit in and I finally finally allow myself to be just the weird me. I can not act or change myself anyway, I've tried all my life.

[juanamool]

I thinks this only works if your feel at ease with yourself and the situation so you don't give a weird vibe (guilty of this for SO long).
Everybody tells me I'm intimidating so not many people speak to me out of the blue 🙃 BUT when I relax and don't push myself to do anything it has worked

[dannibarnett]

I've made friends by asking people if they wanna be my friend. Sometimes it works, but mostly I just get weird looks

[autitrain]

Making friends is a cultural thing and changes from region to region. Where I live, the social norm is to avoid speaking to strangers. Literally, you can seat at a place alone and all the people seating next to you won't say anything. You are doing something. People won't ask anything about it. It's really depending of where you live.

[mariannerichard]

This is brilliant! By sitting alone, you are fishing for the most social people in the room, who will think: "I can't let that man all by himself, we should be networking". And these people are often not neurotypical, but "intellectually gifted" and they get along with aspies well.

[HypnoRhymes]

Oh no, I was sitting alone to avoid interaction... Now I understand why strangers come and join me 🙄

[Vireca]

I never experienced that kind of behaviour or approach from someone when I'm sitting alone...

[feleslucis-emanueldearaujo]

Good... I actually have problems making friends and it really takes a toll on me, being that, in the end, I end up secluding myself even more.

[crutnacker]

My problem is people leaving once I sit down near them, like next table near (no I don't smell) so sitting alone is usually the end result not the start point.

[farcamp]

Perfect delivery with really helpful information. Never thought of the "sitting alone" aspect and how it would help ease that anxiety when there is the possibility someone might say, "No you can't sit here". Thanks for sharing your wisdom and education. It really is valuable.

[wolfsbaynegold]

I think this may be gender specific, I've been told that people were scared to approach me as a lone female in case it came across as creepy, etc. I don't think that problem really exists for males.

[gracekajtar]

I just wanted to say that it’s really brave of you to be so open and chill about having ASD. I want to be that way someday

[stephss]

Post pandemic...I realized people can't be trusted, especially with my wellbeing. Being friendless is my new coping mechanism, even though it's rather lonely and I morn my early life. We may need eachother as a society, but I'm too vulnerable.

[maiamaiapapaya]

Being socially awkward myself (not sure if autism or what), this is how I've always made friends. Just let the people come to me. It always seemed like a cheat somehow, but my methods have been validated by this video. So thanks for sharing this strategy on your channel

[roxannemccarter]

I’ve been sharing your videos with my autistic grandson, but I love this idea and Grandma is going to use your technique too. Thank you for all you do!

[victoryamartin]

Being shy to start conversations, my go to has been to choose a table at the beginning of an event and wait to see who joins me. Inevitably, all the other tables will fill up with the people I'd hoped to talk to before anyone comes to my table. And the ones to come in last and join my table are usually the shyer ones who have nothing to say. Grrrr.

[murtazaarif]

It reminds me of what was possibly my very first day at school in the playground. Things haven't changed much for me as an adult but all this advice is helping me see the other person's way of looking and perceiving my actions. Maybe society isn't such a bad place after all.