People who don’t have healthy and happy social lives tend to fall into patterns based on beliefs they’ve developed over time. Being social takes effort and when things don’t come easily it can cause people to put their social life on pause. Before long, they haven’t done anything socially for a long time and they feel lonely and disconnected.
There are some common reasons that people resist socializing
- They’ve been rejected or hurt in the past
- They haven’t found a tribe
- They have a narrow focus
These three thieves of a social life can rob great people from having good times. Thankfully, there’s plenty to do to overcome each of these situations. Take a look-
What to do when you’ve been rejected or hurt in the past
If you’ve experienced rejection socially in the past it can make it hard to trust or take risks being social. Here are some steps you can take to restore your dignity and get back into being social again.
Step 1. Assess the situation. What happened to hurt you? Was it something you did or something someone did to you? Assess the situation and get honest about anything you did to contribute to things. If you were the victim of someone else, it’s time to heal the hurt and move on.
Step 2. Let it go. Whether you contributed to the situation or were helpless to it. It’s time to let it go. Forgive and move on so you can experience the happy and healthy social life you deserve.
What to do if you haven’t found your tribe
If you haven’t found your people, life can feel isolating. If you feel like a fish out of water, it can be hard to be social. Your tribe is waiting, go out and find them by taking these steps.
Step 1. Find your people. Your tribe is out there…somewhere. Find them! Whether they are online or across the continent, you can find your tribe and begin to connect.
Step 2. Make them a priority. Once you’ve discovered where the people are you want to connect with, make it a priority. Book the trip, make the date, set up the event. Don’t let distance or anything else stop you from engaging with the group that lights your fire.
What to do when your focus is too narrow
A lot of people feel underwhelmed socially because their focus is too narrow. They haven’t opened themselves up to the possibilities. Here are some steps to take to broaden your focus and find a tribe you want to connect with.
Step 1. Think about the options. If you find yourself isolated and not involved socially, you may have limited your options. Spend time expanding your ideas of what might be fun to do. From learning a new hobby, to studying a subject, to having a wonderful experience, there are unlimited ways to have fun. Socializing is much more than meeting up for coffee.
Step 2. Do a search. Whether you use Google, Pinterest, or another platform like Meetup.com, doing a search based on things you’re interested in will help you see what’s out there. You may not know that there is a group celebrating the things you love to do. Finding a tribe is oftentimes one key word search away.
There are plenty of reasons that people resist socializing, but they don’t have to. There’s a way around any resistance you may have. Take a look at why you are resisting being more social and take one or two steps to work things out.
