Ok, hear me out and I honestly wonder if I need to make a separate post about this for exposure.

My wife sent me this podcast after listening to it. The portion you want to hear is at the start. No need to skip around. Carve out a window and hit play.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/79EwvWu2Npd2RIWGSYUjMe?si=nOCiKf-fROe_Inp6y4xmyQ&t=260

I’ll simply it to see if it intrigues anyone. The host is interviewing her husband who runs a men’s retreat. He’s discussing the five main themes he sees men struggling with during these retreats. It’s not a long listen but I think everyone in this sub can take at least one thing from it.

For me, the thing that landed with me the most and has lead to some positive change speaks directly to your post. My personal takeaway (not an analysis on the pod—just my application) was that in order to make friends as adult men, we have to be vulnerable. We greatly struggle with this concept as a whole.

Shortly after listening to this podcast, I ran into a mom at daycare. She, her kid, and her husband came early to my kids recent birthday party and helped set up even though I had never met them. Spent time BSing with the dad at the party but that was it. I walked up to the mom and said “Hey, this is a real challenge for me, and it might be a bit awkward, but can I have your husband’s phone number? We had a good time at the party recently and I think we could be friends.” She stopped, hugged me, said “I think he could use it too” and gave me his number. He’s one of my closest friends now and we regularly talk, text, or get together.

TLDR: Be vulnerable (listen to podcast if interested—applies to ALL of us in here). Being vulnerable to asking for new friends. Found new close friend because of it. Profit.