If you don’t like going out but are worried your social life might eventually degrade, then the problem you have on your hands is very serious and must be dealt with immediately. Even though most people turn to social media, texting, and other forms of online communication to socialize with others, actually putting yourself out there and going out is still one of the most effective ways to socialize and make friends.
If you are worried about your social life, good. It’s always good to have self-awareness of the situation at hand. That way, you’ll be able to know how to work your way up after acknowledging the problem. The problem here is that you don’t like going out, but you want to do better at socializing. The tips you’re about to read below will help you get over this problem.
Know why you don’t like going out
While it’s good to be aware of the fact that you don’t like going out, you need to take this a step further by analyzing why you don’t like going out in the first place. It must have been something in your past, something that impedes you in the present, or an underlying fear that haunts your mind.
Once you figure out what the root of the problem is, working your way up will become much less complicated. For example, if the reason why you don’t like going out is that all of your interests involve staying at home, like reading, watching movies, or playing video games, then adopt another interest that forces you to get out of the house. If it’s due to social fears and anxiety, then that’s a different thing you can work on as well.
For now, it’s important to pinpoint the exact cause why you don’t like going out. As long as you can make a sense of what that is, your journey moving forward will be much smoother. No matter what it is for you, this is the first step you need to take before you consider the rest of the tips on this list.
Force yourself to, but slowly
You’ll never be able to conquer this problem if you don’t just jump right into it. The best thing you can do to get over the fact that you don’t like going out is to force yourself to. However, don’t do everything abruptly and consecutively. Force yourself to go out tonight, then have a whole week off, do it again the next week.
Forcing yourself to do something is not a healthy and advisable thing in a lot of cases, but it is when it comes to this one. This is especially true if your reasons for not wanting to go out are unfounded. Eventually, you’re going to realize the positive things about actually going out. The more you do this, the closer you’ll be to actually enjoying this activity.
Only go to places you’re comfortable with
If you truly don’t like going out, one thing you can do to help yourself adjust better to this activity is to only go to places you feel comfortable with. If you don’t like going out, and whenever you do, you go to places that make you uncomfortable, this will only make you dislike the activity even more. Help yourself by finding places that suit your taste and aura.
If you’re the type of person who hates noise and wild crowds, then avoid superclubs and other similar places. Go to relaxing pubs and bars, coffee shops, and other more serene places instead. Whatever your preference is, seek places that suit it. You’ll enjoy going out more by doing this.
Invite people you know and trust
If this activity becomes too tough, and there’s a very high chance it will be early on, ask people you know and trust to go out with you. You don’t really need to go through this process alone if you have friends who can help you out. That’s one of the beautiful perks of having friends. You have people who can assist you whenever you need them.
It will also serve you better if you let your friends know about your goals of getting better used to going out. That way, they’ll be able to adjust to your frequency, limits, and places of choice. They can also help motivate you if you start to feel frail. Other than that, it will make this experience so much more enjoyable.
Incentivize going out
If you truly dislike going out, then make this experience easier for yourself by incentivizing the activity. Each time you go out to meet new friends or to socialize with the ones already in your circle, reward yourself the day after by giving yourself something you’ve always wanted to have. Or do an activity, with whomever or alone, whichever you prefer, that you’ve always wanted to do.
By doing this, you’ll somewhat encourage yourself to go out more. It’s almost as if the act of going out is something that precedes an activity that you truly enjoy. This is just something you’ll feel initially, of course. Eventually, you’ll truly begin to find the act of going out enjoyable on its own. You’ll begin to love the fact that each time you go out, you meet more new people. You meet potential friends. The bond you have with your friends becomes stronger and stronger.
Make the plan
One of the reasons why certain people don’t like going out is because they have little to no control of the situation. Most of the time, people who dislike going out are only inclined to go out because they were invited by someone else. They are then forced to go to places they’re unfamiliar with.
That said, if you want to enjoy going out more, make the plan yourself. Plan a day-out or night-out so you can have full control of the situation. You can decide where to go, who to invite, and what to do. That way, you’re actually able to go out and enjoy what you’re doing, be in a place you’re comfortable with, and be with people you know and trust.
You can start with small-scale events. Invite people you know, be in a place you’re familiar with, and do something you’re happy with. The more you do this, the bolder you will become. You’ll begin to feel comfortable inviting people you’re not that close with yet and be in uncharted territories.
Try going on walks all by yourself
Going out doesn’t always need to be this grand activity involving strangers and loud, atmospheric background music and sounds. Sometimes, it can be something as simple as going on a walk all by yourself. If you want to eventually enjoy the idea of going out, start doing it simply and start doing it on your own.
You can definitely work on your disliking of going out by just occasionally going on walks on your own. See your own neighborhood. Get to know the people who live nearby. Begin to see the little things in life that make individuals smile–a dog running around, children playing in the park, a warm day, gusts of wind.
The more you appreciate the beauty of the outside world, the more willing you’ll be to actually go out.
Travel
If going on walks isn’t enough for you yet, you can take this a step further by traveling. Instead of just seeing your neighborhood, see the entire world. There are a lot of places in our planet that are filled with such wonders. Places that are home to so many hospitable and kind individuals. See those places and meet those people.
A lot of people who travel constantly will tell you that traveling is an enlightening experience–and it truly is. You’ll learn and grow by traveling. If your time and budget can allow this, be sure to consider this activity.
Be physically healthier
One of the most common reasons why people don’t like going out is due to a lack of self-confidence. And while it may not be true for everyone, one of the best ways to deal with self-confidence problems is to work out. Be physically healthier. The more a person works out, the more their self-confidence will build up. On top of that, being healthier will also make them look better. When a person looks good, they feel good. Feeling good is a great boost if you want to enjoy going out more.
That said, try to exercise every once in a while. In fact, incorporate this into your schedule. A few days a week, and an hour or two on those days is going to be more than enough. While you’re at it, try to practice good eating habits too. Not only will this be good for your confidence and your social life, it will be good for your overall health.
Develop hobbies that require you to go outdoors
If you’re really finding it difficult to go out simply for the sake of going out, then find something you can enjoy doing that simply involves going out. What I mean by this is that it should be beneficial for you to find a hobby that requires you to go outdoors. This way, you’ll be able to have an activity to enjoy and the act of going out is simply just a part of that process.
For example, you may want to take up trekking, biking, swimming, or camping. Any activity that involves the outdoors. Find one that suits your taste and enjoyment. Once you find it, do it with the right people. Do it with people you know or find people who already do that activity constantly so you can learn from them. By doing this, you’ll develop a new hobby, you’ll be inclined to go out more and you’ll meet a few people along the way.
Stay home every once in a while
While it’s all amazing and impressive that you’re taking the time to learn how to enjoy going out, you also should allow yourself to take a break every once in a while. You don’t need to go out every night just to force yourself to enjoy going out. Once you’ve gone out to be with your friends and socialize with other people, that in itself is already commendable.
Take a break. Stay at home. Watch a movie or read a book, whatever it is you enjoy doing at home. You deserve a few nights of respite before going out again.
Explore your own city
The city you live in is the place you’ll be going out in. With that in mind, get to know it. Explore your own city. Know where the best places are and what kind of places there are in your area. Find more than one place you can be comfortable with. If you want to eventually enjoy going out, you’ll need to constantly hang out in more than just a single place.
Remind yourself constantly why you’re doing this
Every once in a while, you might find yourself breaking down. You might find yourself wanting to give up. You’ll begin to question the point of all of this and you might simply revert back to the way things were before you attempted all this. When that happens, don’t succumb to the feeling and remind yourself why you started doing this in the first place.
Feelings of doubt are very normal. You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself whenever you start to feel this way. Instead, just remind yourself why you went through this and the end goal to all of this. Remind yourself that you’re doing this to improve your social life, better your mental health and because you want to be happier overall. Those reasons should be more powerful than the doubts. Always remember that.
If You Don’t Like Going Out, Improve Your Social Skills
Going out is an activity not everybody enjoys. Thankfully, it is an activity anyone can learn to enjoy. While also keeping in mind everything listed above, one of the best ways to learn to enjoy this activity is by improving your social skills. The better your social skills are, the more comfortable you will be surrounded by other people.
Once you’ve done everything you’ve read on this article, be sure to also take the time to check out the other articles on this site. Enjoying going out is just one part of the equation. Be sure to learn the other ones too.