IABU but I do not like outside

[idonotlikebeingoutside]

I do not like being outside.

It has taken me a while to admit this to myself as it feels like a moral failing in many ways.

I love looking at the outside. At beautiful views, or when I wake up in the morning and take in the birds singing and the fields and the blossom. It’s beautiful. But actually in it? When it’s either too chilly or hot, and you don’t get to sit down, and it’s, you know, a bit too outsidey. Oh and bugs, and itchy grass.

I would far rather a day indoors contained.

Unfortunately I have young children. I have to hide the fact I hate garden play and parks and walks, for their benefit. But given the choice give me a rainy day ‘oh what a shame!’ Soft play it is!

Right with you OP.

Luckily DH is in to all that but he does get fed up it’s all on him so I have to take over sometimes…

I was 100% with you till I saw your comment about soft plays, I find those places hell on earth 😂

Is this just a "dislike" or is it some kind of phobia or anxiety associated with being out of the house?

I’m 100% with you.

I’m similar to an extent; the conditions have to be perfect or else I just find it a bit irritating being outside.

I find summer difficult because as soon as there’s even a hint of sun, everyone insists on sitting outdoors to eat etc and I can’t stand it. It’ll be 17 degrees, windy AF, napkins flying everywhere…such a joy.

I always wonder what the soft play hate is on here.

So they are loud yeah but so are most places with little kids.

I get to
sit down
if I go with a friend talk to them
if I’m alone browse my phone
the kids play
it isn’t generally that expensive

maybe I am missing something

No phobia of outside. Given the choice I’d rather be inside though.

If you’re cold/ hot you’re not dressed for the weather. If you prefer dusty, germ-full, plastic soft play indoors, you may have anxieties around not contained areas or some sensory disorder?
It may not feel right but plenty of research has proven being outdoors is healthier for your body and mind. Do you just not believe that?

I’d say keep doing more of it incrementally for a period of time and journal to observe what happens.

I am not very outdoorsy, but when I force myself out on a nice day, usually with the dog, I am always glad I did.

If you’re cold/ hot you’re not dressed for the weather

The weather isn’t consistent though, is it? So you have to take waterproofs or jumpers / coats you don’t need and carry them or be too cold / hot, sometimes within the same ten minutes.

I don’t have a phobia. Just like being able to park my arse somewhere for a while 🤣

I’m outside loads, I just generally CBA with it. My children are in the garden all the time and want me there too. Then we have battles when I want them to come in to eat or have a bath and go to bed.

roll on autumn!

Start growing things in your. Garden

I too am very indoorsy by nature. I am extremely fussy about the temperature - I like 14 and sunny, no wind, and that’s about it.

I don’t think the UK weather helps; we have high expectations of nice weather, but it’s usually so disappointing. You know where you are with autumn and winter. I think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder in reverse and long for the dark nights.

Nothing worse than being outside just because!
I need an aim, shopping/meeting someone/going to work otherwise it’s boring and pointless.

I agree. I’m happy to spend time outside when it’s nice weather. Short walks around nice places, sitting outside to eat etc. But if it’s windy or rainy or muddy, I have no desire to be outside at all.

It’s tedious that people here are suggesting it means some kind of anxiety or that you’re just not doing “going outside” right, it’s just a preference like any other. I’m not some idiot who wants to go for a walk and doesn’t realise I’d be warm with the right clothes. I’m just someone who doesn’t want to put on clothes I don’t want to wear to do an activity I don’t want to do!

I think it’s just because I still have a small child that requires me to follow her around everywhere so I can’t catch up with a friend or chill yet! You’ve just given me hope for the future though 😁

It’s a germ fest though 🤢

I love outside. But I don't expect it to match inside for sitting in comfort or good dining conditions. So I work with its strengths and do the things it best delivers, good conditions for excercise through walking in fresh air with stimulation of the scenery. The sensory experience of the smells and feel of sun, breeze, rain etc. Seeing things up close that would be inaccessible from outside. The opportunity for DC to take up more space, make more noise and engage with different things, and the pleasure of watching them. Seeing animals and birds in the flesh. Outside isn't a rubbish version of inside. It's an entirely different thing.

Please continue to spend time outside with your children as it's really important for their eyesight. Take a waterproof picnic blanket and thermos. Meet a friend.

Anyone who prefers a soft play play over a walk by a river when the sun is shining is absolutely crackers IMO but you do you 🤣

YABU. I love being outside unless the weather is properly grim. The idea of preferring soft play to a park or the countryside boggles my brain. Soft play is awful - livid-coloured, sticky plasticky surfaces, loud echoey atmosphere, crap food and quite often lots of bad parenting. I'm very glad to have left that stage behind. We moved to a rural area in order to get more outside!

Each to their own, but I hate being inside all the time. I feel cooped up. So glad that better weather is coming!

Trouble is you know that being an no go out person is not a realistic option for your children. Not good parenting.
I bet if you go you will find it not quite as awful as you are imagining it to be. Yes, it can require a bit of effort but anything worthwhile is.

What I dislike about outside is traffic, cars blasting crap music, People shouting into mobile phones, and bloody little delivery bikes everywhere with people dressed in black looking miserable in helmets, it’s like a swarm of human bluebottles. Also , lime bikes clogging the pavements and most recently, People freely scooting and cycling on pavements, I mean, seriously! Other than that, outside is nice, I used to like it, but it’s definitely gone downhill.

Absolutely not. I'll always take sitting outside to being cooped up indoors, particularly after such a long, miserable winter where it didn't stop raining for like the first month and a half.

Met up with some friends at a pub on Sunday. It was terribly crowded, noisy, and hot. But they still wanted to sit inside. It was a bit windy, sure, but still sunny and we'd have been perfectly fine sat outside in jackets.

Some people are just too delicate for their own good.

Me too!
It's beautiful today, sunshine & blue sky, and I just couldn't wait to get outside.

I go for a walk 30 - 40 minutes every day and try to do this as early in the morning as possible because apparently it helps to regulate your circadian rhythms which promotes good sleep amongst other things - I struggle a bit with insomnia and have tried many things and this really does seem to make a difference