I was bullied and had trouble making friends growing up. I

I'm in the same boat. I found 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie pretty helpful since I'm a pretty awkward person. Taking courses in public speaking helps too. I'd work on talking more and more with your acquaintances.

>>18645757
Thanks

You get up and you keep trying. People may look at you and think your stupid and those are the people you should avoid. Because fuck em. Always remember to relax, nothing bad will happen because your trying to talk to people. You just keep at it man/girl and that's the real secret.
Also look for community events that you can go to. I know it seems a bit lonely going to those by yourself. But getting up and trying take big balls that not many people have.

>>18645722
Sums up my life except my only friend is online, only

>>18645884
I guess after years of going to events by myself and doing things by myself and travelling by myself, I've become depressed and lack the motivation to try

Do you take the initiative to reach out to your acquaintances and get to know them and hang out with them, or do you wait to be approached or invited?

>>18646159
Yes I tried, they don't want to hang out with me and cannot wait to stop talking to me when I try talking to them

So depressing.

>>18645722
>>18645757
>>18645891

>Is there a way to develop social skills now? A book or something? I'm very lonely.

You can read your eyes out. What you all need is to try. And fail. You'll fail. You'll be rejected. And you have to try again.

No book prepares you for dealing with failure. Quite the opposite. You hope reading will prevent failure. It won't. Nothing can prevent failing from time to time. The most valuable skill is not letting that stop you.

>>18646165

Pick up activities with people. Classes, volunteer work, sports, whatever you like. And as above, don't be discouraged if you fail at first. It will happen. Just keep trying.

>>18645722
Don't look for friends. Look for activities. Join a club. Join a gym. Take a random CC class. Do volunteer work. Hang out at the comic book store or a jazz coffeeshop.

You'll be among others doing the same thing, so chat will be natural. You'll already have something in common.

They won't all be friends. But the larger your circle of acquaintances, the more some of them will develop into friends.

>>18645722
Same here, this is what i've learnt so far;
If you want generic occasionally hangout friends then books and shit can help, but if you like me then it can get exhausting consistently having to watch what you say and do (social anxiety). If you want a buddy, then just be yourself and look for groups and clubs of like-minded people does help to have a hobby that isn't entirely online like fishing, ham radio, hunting, sports, etc

Just got to get out their and socialize bro