How important is Socializing?

[Actualizer777]

Hey fellow Actualizers!

I have a question that is bothering me for quite a while already. How important is Socializing really? I personally love it to spend time alone, read books, journal, meditate, workout etc. But somehow I feel guilty when I spent too much time without other people. It's not necessarily that I miss connection and feel lonely but I feel like I just SHOULD socialize.

I have a pretty decent amount of friends and I can meet them quite often. I also have a girlfriend and a good family. So I am not some Forever Alone pathetic individual. But I just prefer not to socialize too much. It feels good for me to be alone at home for 4-5 days and just do my things. But somehow I feel guilty and I think that I come over as isolated and pathetic even though I'm not. It feels like someone is expecting me to socialize. It feels like I am loosing value or status when I am spending too much time without friends and other people.

To some degree I like socializing but I am not interested in almost anything that socializing implies. I don't like partys, drinking or just meeting to do some random shit.

Do you guys have any thoughts on that? Any advice how to deal with this?

Thanks!

[Pelin]

As long as you have meaningful relationships, socializing is okay. I'm also at a stage in my life where I don't socialize much, but still feel fulfilled. 
I guess your priorities can change over time. If your simple lifestyle feels okay to you, you can drop the blaming and focus on your improvement at this time.

If you feel like you have some good friends that you get a lot of value out of, keeping in touch might be a good idea. Sometimes people may resent you and think you don't like them if you don't keep in touch. If you have such friends, and if you want them in your life, I would recommend you to give them a call once in a while. They may prove helpful in your journey. I have some friends like this, and whenever I meet them, I'm inspired. 

But if your friends add no value to you whatsoever, it's okay to drop those relationships and stop wasting your time in my opinion. If your girlfriend is okay with you having a small circle of relationships, and if she doesn't force you in socializing, that's great.

[BjarkeT]

 "Any advice how to deal with this?"

The best advice i can give on this might be that it's good to be honest of what you feel like is important to you. You shouldn't feel the need to socialize because of others but because you actually want to. I think it's important to prioritize your own feeling sometimes over others since its your life after all.  

[mikeyy]

be careful judging being forever alone as pathetic u might limit yourself there.

[d0ornokey]

https://www.actualized.org/forum/topic/27109-social-anxiety-pushed-me-towards-self-actualization/#comment-307960

[Commodent]

Do you want to be social? That is the only thing that matters.