Now don't get me wrong, I love hiding away and being super anti-social for days on end, but after wasting a good chunk of my life avoiding reality, I figured I might as well make a case to myself as to why I should go outside and talk to people. Let's face it, life is still happening outside, and you can't avoid it forever.
1. Fresh air is good for you.
Staying in your room all the time leads to the feeling of being cooped up and stuffy. Going outside, however, exposes you to something truly special: fresh air. While some may argue that the air is not actually fresh because of pollution, compared to the air in your room after not leaving for three days, it's great.
2. You can make friends through social interaction.
Even if it's not for long or if you don't actually know them, talking to someone will help you to feel less secluded. I know it's tempting to hide away and give into social anxiety, but even talking to a Starbucks barista can help to brighten your day.
3. You might actually have fun.
I know it's a crazy concept, but putting effort into making plans and doing something with your day may actually be fun.
4. Life doesn’t stop just because you want it to.
Just because you're hiding out in your room pretending like the world outside doesn't exist doesn't mean that the world will actually pause and take a break. Life keeps happening even if you really wish it would stop, so you might as well face it head-on rather than hide from it and get overtaken.
5. There are opportunities waiting for you out there.
You never know where you could have a moment that changes your life, but I can almost guarantee you it will not be in your room with you doing nothing. (I said almost.) The outside world holds so many possibilities that you could take advantage of, so go ahead and get up and do something more productive with your time and life.
While I often long for days where I don't have to deal with reality, the truth is that it's always there, and by avoiding it I'm actually just making things harder for myself. I know that some of my advice may seem demanding or harsh, but that's because that's what it took for me to make something of myself. Now instead of hiding away all weekend, I hang out and have fun with the friends I made through my attempts to be social. I experience fresh air and live my life while trying to take advantage of the different opportunities that I've found out in the world.
So, while it's OK to take some days to yourself and just relax, don't lock yourself up just because you're afraid that things won't work out or go your way. Be brave and take your first step back into the outside world.
