On most days, I would rather sit in my room and curl up with some Netflix and YouTube videos. But the irony is that I’m watching these people do fun things, go beautiful places, meet amazing people, and I’m jealous.

As introverts, we take comfort in the things we know. We build little sanctuaries for ourselves to return to at the end of the day to reward ourselves for surviving all the human interaction that occurred. Traveling as an introvert is hard. It can be mentally draining just to be around crowds of people or not know anyone around you. Traveling can be intimidating for people who get anxious about asking for directions or just prefer a quiet night in, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to get out and explore.

1. Start small.
You don’t have to go cross country. Especially if you are going by yourself, try a day trip somewhere nearby or spend a weekend away.

2. Plan ahead.
Research where you’re going and plan your trip. It’ll save you the anxiety and mental energy of needing to speak to strangers on the road. And knowing where you’re going is a good idea in general, unless you’re the super adventurous type.

3. Have a purpose.
I used to hate the thought of not being able to go home to my own bed at night. When I got a camera and became interested in photography, I wanted to travel more and more. I wanted to take photos of different places and play with the angles and symmetry. Having a purpose distracted me from all the reasons I didn’t want to go anymore.

4. Embrace the experience.
Maybe you always use the self-checkout because you don’t want to speak to anyone, but traveling is not a solo sport. Sometimes being in a foreign place can change us (temporarily or permanently). It can help us grow, and who knows? You may find a new comfort zone that’s all the way across the world.