OMG! My Best Friend Can’t Go Out Tonight and I Want To Go!

Have you ever seen something happening that looks like a don’t-miss event. You put it in your calendar. You’ve anticipated the day. The day arrives. You’re stoked. And, then, out of nowhere, your best friend said they had something come up.

You feel defeated. You feel at a loss. You are starting to get depressed.

So, almost immediately the thoughts run through your head:

“Who would I go with?” and that just feels too overwhelming to decide. You go through the “If I ask her but not her she will get mad” scenario, and it starts to creep in your head.

And just like that, you're staying home. I get it. It’s much easier. Going somewhere by yourself can feel a little weird. Especially when it seems like everywhere you go everyone has their group.

But, the next day, you see the video and pictures. The crowd is hysterically laughing. You knew the answers to some of the game questions. You knew a couple of people. The night seemed like so much fun.

And you think, “I should’ve gone. Dammit. Why do I do this to myself?”

And the only person stopping you, was you.

We're making this harder than it needs to be

Somewhere along the way, we've decided that going out requires a partner, a best friend, or an entire posse. It doesn't.

You don't need someone to accompany you to the grocery store. You don't need someone to accompany you to the gym. And you certainly don't need a designated buddy to go have a good time.

But when it comes to social events, we suddenly think we need backup. Why?

Because we're afraid we'll walk in alone and look alone. Nobody wants to be the person sitting at the corner of the room while everybody else is having fun. And we're beating ourselves up:

We may have a stupid answer and people will judge.

What if they don’t like me?

I wonder what they will think of me.

But here's something you may not realize:

A lot more people are in exactly the same boat than you think.

Believe it or not, there are more solo people than you see

That person standing at the bar by themselves… They might be waiting for someone. Or they might have come alone. The person sitting at a table looking at their phone? Same thing.

How many times have you seen this? A person who walks in, looks around, and leaves? Yep. You can relate. And they might be wondering the exact same thing you are.

“Who am I going to talk to?”

And that is where things get interesting. Because if everybody waits for somebody else to make the first move, nobody meets anybody.

This is why having something to do matters

Walking into a room full of strangers and trying to make conversation can be uncomfortable. Walking into a room full of strangers where there's a game happening? Different story.

Now you have an excuse. You can ask someone what they're playing. You can compare answers. You can laugh at somebody's terrible guess. You can cheer for someone. You can rib the MC about the question.

And before you know it, you're talking. You're having fun. You didn't have to walk up and announce:

“Hello. I am flying solo and I am here because I need friends.”

You just play a game and let the conversation happen naturally.

Here’s the big thing: Go in with the right frame of mind.

We put way too much pressure on ourselves.

“I need to meet people.”

“I need to make friends.”

Forget all of that. Let the people and conversations come to you if you feel comfortable.

Maybe you talk to somebody for five minutes at the event. Maybe you laugh with somebody you've never met at the event all night. Maybe you discover you have something in common with someone at the event and have coffee the next morning. .

But you went to the event. And you went alone.

Let’s be realistic also. Not every interaction has to become a lifelong friendship to be worthwhile. Sometimes a good conversation is just a good conversation. You part ways that evening and maybe not feeling very fulfilled.

But, do you stop going?

Rome, GA wasn’t built in a day!

The first step is the hardest. The next step is easier.

I'll admit it, walking into a place alone takes a little courage. However, walking in with confidence makes people acknowledge you. Make eye contact and smile with some of the people as you enter. Go get you some liquid courage, if that’s your bag. Then come back ready to mingle with the first person that acknowledges you - smiles, says hi. Break the ice. Ask them if they have ever been to one of these before.

Perfect. Pat yourself on the back. You have now crossed the first terrifying hurdle you were worried about all along.

And here’s the thing - You don't have to commit to staying. Give yourself permission to leave if you're not having a good time. It’s your life and your time is precious.

You-do-you and quit worrying about what others think. As it was once said - “what people say about you is none of your business.” and “people will talk about you behind your back anyways.” Get over that, and you will never worry about another social hurdle the rest of your life.

True self-worth comes from within, not from external approval

The funny thing about this whole situation is once you've been there for a little while, you'll be wondering why you were so nervous in the first place. We’ve all been there.

This is one of the reasons Local Social Club exists

The idea behind Local Social Club is pretty simple. We want people to have a reason to get out and experience something together. Not everyone has a built-in group. Not everyone has a spouse who wants to go everywhere they do. Not everyone has three friends available on a Wednesday night. And that shouldn't mean you have to stay home.

Our experiences are designed so you can come with friends or come by yourself. You don't have to know anybody. You don't have to be the most outgoing person in the room. You don't have to be funny. You don't even have to be particularly good at the game.

You just have to show up.

Because something pretty cool can happen when a bunch of people who don't know each other are given a reason to interact on a regular basis.

It’s easier to talk to people.

The atmosphere is comfortable.

You start recognizing familiar faces.

And eventually somebody new walks through the door and thinks the same thing you did when you first came, by yourself.

Then you engage, because you know what they are feeling.

And that’s how the Local Social Club community gets started and thrives.

Not with a best friend.

With a hello to a stranger.

So the next time you see something that looks like fun but find yourself thinking, “I don't have anybody to go with,” try something different. Go by yourself!

Sometimes the only thing you need is the guts to walk through the door.

You have the guts! You gotta dig deep!

Let the amount of fun you could have outweigh the boredom you would have.

info@localsocialclub.com

Local Social Club, LLC.

(256) 469 - 0535