Before now, I always felt like I was trapped whenever someone would ask me to go somewhere, when all I wanted was to stay at home. I feared that if I turned them down with an excuse, they wouldn’t invite me another time. The problem now is that it makes me feel isolated. On the other hand, if I gave in and went out, I’d likely have a miserable time and end up resenting myself for not having the courage to say NO. If your situation is similar, then we might have a solution.

Excuses Not to Go Somewhere in Advance

The truth is, if you didn’t make a plan, you have no reason to cancel it. Understood? So, if someone just notified you in advance to come somewhere, you could simply turn it down politely.

In my situation, a friend advised me that instead of feeling guilty or pressured, I could simply say, “I’d love to go out, but I already have plans within this period.” It looks like a white lie, but it’s actually very liberating. Your plans could be as simple as going home and relaxing, but they’re still your ‘plans’.

It’ll give you the freedom to say Yes when you want to and No when you don’t. Your friends will eventually learn that whether they ask in advance or last minute, it’s up to you to decide if you’ll be coming or not.

Are you stretching the truth a bit? Maybe. But no one gets hurt, and you won’t be seen as a perpetual naysayer who never goes out and is never invited. Saying “I have plans” is all that matters.

Other excuses you could use to bet out of going somewhere in advance:

1. Sorry, I’m not feeling so well.
2. Sorry, I have a lot of work to do right now.
3. I wish I could, but my family came to visit unexpectedly.
4. I’m sorry, but I totally forgot that it’s my cousin’s birthday today.
5. I’m sorry, but I already made plans with my family that I totally forgot about!
6. My partner is having a crisis, and I really need to be there for them right now.
7. Sorry, but I’m running behind on work, and I might get fired if I don’t do all this on time.
8. To be honest, I’m exhausted these days, and I don’t think I can bring myself to go out.
9. Sorry, my friend just asked me for help with something, could we see each other some other time?
10. I wish I could, but I can’t find anyone to take care of my pet, so I’ll have to reschedule.

And speaking of plans, I have to go – I have plans for the rest of the night.

Just before you go, here’s something I think you might appreciate. You don’t want excuses to get out of something. Just tell the person the truth. If you don’t feel like going out, say it. If you want to be at home for whatever reason, for example tiredness, just let them know.

I used to tell many excuses, fearing that I could lose invites from my friends or somehow hurt them. However, I found out that it’s a lot better to tell the truth when you don’t want to go out.

Read Also: Fake Excuses to Call Out of Work