Be Proud of Being a Homebody

Being a homebody can be difficult for some people. Not only can you feel awkward and uncomfortable going out, but you must resist the pressure of friends who want you to go out all the time. Thus, people who are homebodies often feel ashamed or as if something is wrong with them. Ultimately, though, by accepting who you are, taking steps to entertain at home, and reveling in the joys of home life, you’ll be proud to be a homebody.

Steps

Accepting Who You Are

1. Think about why you like being at home. A little self-reflection will be very helpful when it comes to accepting who you are. After you’ve thought about why you like being at home rather than going out, you’ll likely be more confident. Some reasons may include:
   • You get anxious when you go out.
   • You miss your family or pets when you go out.
   • There are a lot of things you like to do at home that you can’t do other places.
2. Become acquainted with your personality. Chances are that if you're a ‘homebody’, you may be an introvert. Introversion is typically characterized by a person’s tendency to gather strength and comfort from being alone. Introversion is not a once size fits all package. Each person is unique to how they express themselves based on where they sit on the introversion spectrum.
   • Someone who is introverted may become easily drained and exhausted from being around other people. They need a restful, comfortable space to help them relax and recharge.
   • Many homebodies are introspective, and like to spend quiet restful time contemplating various interests and ideas. They can be very creative, insightful, and innovative people.
   • Someone with introverted tendencies usually prefers to work independently rather than in groups. However, they also have excellent communication capabilities and listening skills.
3. Incorporate self compassion. Self-compassion is our capacity to love and have empathy for ourselves. Practice self-compassion by focusing on three elements:
   • Recognize that no one is perfect, including yourself. Practice affirming that it is good to feel comfortable with who you are and your life, despite those imperfections.
   • Practicing self-kindness. Eliminate negative thoughts and self-criticism. For every negative thought or behavior, replace it with two positive one.
   • Be mindful and present in the moment. Do your best to stay within each moment and maintain a non-biased awareness of all your experiences.
4. Accept that everybody is different. While some people love going out on the town every night, others better enjoy their evenings in. After you accept that everyone is different, you'll be more comfortable being a homebody.
   • People who are outgoing or extroverted tend to enjoy interacting with different people all the time.
   • Introverted people value looking inward for guidance and often enjoy quiet reflection more than hustle-and-bustle.
   • You may be someone who enjoys going out sometimes but would rather stay home most of the time.
5. Avoid misconceptions about introversion. Understand that being a homebody is not a negative quality, and it does not indicate antisocial behavior. Being a homebody and enjoying the time you have in your own personal space does not mean you are depressed or unhappy.
   • Depression is sometimes associated with feelings of isolation, but that does not mean all homebodies feel depressed. In fact, when too much pressure is placed on a homebody to interact with others, there is a greater tendency for feelings of lowness, stress, and anxiety.
6. Avoid letting others pressure you into going out. One of the biggest challenges for you might be your friends who try to get you to constantly go out. Remember that it’s okay to stand your ground and decline invitations.
   • If a friend makes you uncomfortable or tries to pressure you into going out, be polite but clear that you aren’t interested.
   • Consider going out with your friends from time-to-time.
   • Let your friends know you love hanging out, but you’re not really the type of person who likes to go out all the time.
7. Consult a mental health professional if you fear the outside world. If you have a substantial amount of anxiety associated with leaving your home, you may want to consult someone about it. A psychologist or psychiatrist will be able to assess whether you need help.
   • It is possible that you have a some sort of mental health condition like agoraphobia, anxiety disorder, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
   • If you're staying home because you're afraid of the world outside, rather than as a choice, you should seek help from a mental health professional.

Entertaining at Home

1. Throw a party. The best part about being a homebody is that you’ll be more comfortable partying at home than elsewhere. Because of this, you should throw a party at home and show your friends why your place is awesome. Some examples of parties you can throw at home include:
   • Pool parties
   • Themed parties like a 1920s night
   • A murder mystery dinner and party
2. Have a quiet get-together. When your proud of being a homebody, you’ll revel in hosting quiet get-togethers at home. Ultimately, quiet get-togethers will allow you to enjoy being home and allow you the joy of entertaining others.
   • Invite some friends over for a card game or board games.
   • Have friends over to talk about current events or politics.
   • Cook things with your friends. For example: Cookies and hot drinks.
3. Host a dinner party. Hosting dinner parties will also send the signal that you’re comfortable at home and happy to entertain. Dinner parties may also placate some of your friends who might pressure you to go to new places all the time.
   • Prepare a multi-course meal for friends. In fact, this might be the opportunity to win over extrovert friends who try to get you to go out all the time.
   • Consider holding a dinner party regularly, like once a month or every two months.
   • If a dinner part feels too formal, consider a canape or tapas party. This type of gathering allows you to mingle more with your guests, and is more relaxed and open for those attending. You can even invite others to bring bite-sized treats to share.
4. Start a club. Another way to own being a homebody is to start a club and host meetings at your home. This way, you can enjoy being at home while you entertain and engage with your friends. Some clubs include:
   • Book clubs
   • Exercise clubs, such as running groups or a yoga group
   • Cooking groups
   • Craft clubs, such as a quilting or knitting circle, a scrapbooking club, or a painting group
   • A card playing group
   • A dinner or brunch club

Enjoying Home Life

1. Appreciate family time. The best part of being a homebody is having the availability to spend a lot of time with your family. There are countless family-oriented activities you can do at home. In the end, the opportunity to spend time with your family is one of the things that should make you proudest about being a homebody. Consider:
   • Playing games with family
   • Watching movies together
   • Gardening together
2. Enjoy quiet time. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like the hustle and bustled involved in going out on the town, you’ll likely relish quiet time at home. Ultimately, the ability to enjoy quiet time at home is one of the most rewarding things of being a homebody. Some quiet activities you can enjoy at home include:
   • Reading
   • Napping
   • Thinking
   • Meditating
   • Unwinding
3. Celebrate your monetary savings. One of the best things about staying at home is that you’ll save a lot of money that you’d otherwise spend going out on the town. Some ways you’ll save money include:
   • Transportation, fuel coasts, taxi fare, or mass transit fare
   • Eating out
   • Entertainment at bars, clubs, and elsewhere
4. Spend time improving your home. Perhaps one of the best parts of spending time at home is that you'll be able to do a variety of things to improve your home. Ultimately, you'll want the place you spend the most amount of time to be the nicest place possible.
   • Clean your home.
   • Tidy things up. For example, work on eliminating clutter.
   • Rearrange your furniture. If you don't like the configuration of your living room, experiment with new designs.
   • Paint your house.
   • Fix things that are broken.

Tips

• Although optional, it can help to align yourself with someone who also loves being a homebody, so that you can stay home together. This will not always be possible though, so the next best thing is to be with someone who is understanding and accepting of your preference to remain at home.
• If you feel slightly ashamed or abnormal about liking being at home rather than running around in the rat race, remember that you are being true to yourself.
• Note that the realization that you're a homebody can dawn on you slowly. If you spent a lot of time going out in your teens because of peer pressure or simply because staying at home meant vying for peaceful space with your siblings, you may realize later in life that this going-out self isn't a true reflection of who you are.

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Sources and Citations

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