This is something that I need to know, too. I'm marking it so I will find it later tonight when I can really take in the suggestions.
I'm finding myself with a few good friends - and I really cherish them. My situation is that I was 'inactive' for 13 years and mostly kept to my self. I quit my job of 12 years, holed up in my condo for a few months until my savings ran out. I went back to work thru a temp agency and then a regular fulltime job. I had acquaintences at work but didn't allow myself to get close to anyone and ate lunch alone every day.
I started dating someone and was shortly thereafter sticken with cancer. Coincidence?? I wasn't sure at the time.
Seven years later I quit that job and started a whole new career with a setting that exposed me to a new set of workmates. I wanted to try to make friends with them. But I still thought I was a witness and didn't quite feel comfortable.
I joined some online dating sites and met a few
Then I found JWD. I reached out to an ex-witness friend and we renewed a strong friendship. I spent more time with my neighbor (of 18 years) and did a few social things with his friends (networking). I went back east to my old hometown and looked up a few old friends/acquaintences (jw and non-jw). I visited with long-neglected family (all non-jw).
I went to a couple of meet-ups (thank you, Sandy!!) and then organized a few of my own (thank you, everyone who showed up!!).
Work moved me and 10 others to Orange County and we do things together since we are all in the same boat (no local friends).
In August I had tickets to a popular show down here and none of my friends were able to come down. I posted on Craigslist that I had an extra ticket. I got 18 responses!! Although I had to just select one person for the night (I'd be sitting next to a stranger anyway, right??) I've kept in contact with a few of them and now have a small group of friends in my new town.
I bought a motorcycle and with that comes a whole new group of friends.
I guess what this all comes down to is: be open, be available, do things. Do things you enjoy. Do new things. Be creative. Be a little cautious but not overly critical or skeptical.