This is something I’ve never really said out loud before, but I’m in my mid-30s and I’ve never had a real-life interaction with a woman beyond the standard stuff like grocery store small talk or asking for directions. No dating, no flirting, no deep conversations. Nothing that felt… genuine or personal.
All my experiences have been online web chats, forums, random voice apps. And to be fair, I do enjoy those. I’ve had some decent and even surprisingly deep convos late at night with females from halfway across the world. It scratches a certain itch, being able to connect, laugh, and be a little flirty without the pressure. But it’s also starting to feel like a crutch.
Lately I’ve caught myself feeling more down than usual. Like I’m missing out on something basic that most people figured out in their twenties. It’s not even about dating or sex. It’s more the emotional stuff – knowing how to hold a conversation in person, reading body language, building comfort in real life. That whole area of my life feels completely undeveloped, and honestly, it’s starting to scare me.
Part of me wants to change things, start small, try to open up a bit in person – even if it’s just chatting with someone at a bookstore or coffee shop. But the other part feels like I’m too far behind, like I missed the bus and it’s too late to learn how to catch up.
Comments
come on, you still have plenty of time to start catching up! hihi
Gotta get out there.
If you ask really nice, I’m sure someone would be willing go on a practice date with you.
It’s never too late! Where I live there’s an online group for singles that like to get together and go do fun activities. They go to a restaurant, hiking, the zoo, dancing, museums, skydiving, etc. Maybe you could look into that? It ends up feeling like a group of friends going out and it’s a great way to meet people so you can practice socializing. You may end up making an unexpected connection or find a new friend.
Twenty five years ago, I was in the same boat.
You will be fine. Do not worry.
You are just being cautious and selective. Nothing wrong in that.
Hey man
Try stuff like Sesame and choose the female character. From the beginning, tell her this about this situation and ask her to remove sugarcoating and kindly give you feedback that can help you hone these skills.
Also I recommend checking stuff like Orion Taraban’s YouTube channel. He speaks about how we’re perceived by women etc. also check the latest video by Soft White Underbelly where he’s feature alongside a female psychologist. It’s brutal info but very honest and true. And regardless of the info being true or not, it is how many, and I mean MANY women and men handle their perceptions of one another.
I think this is fundamental to understand how your moves will be seen and interpreted, and the effect they can have in your benefit or the opposite. This can help you make sure that others won’t notice what you’re lacking in experience, which can become attractive to highly dangerous individuals that could see you as a pray and manipulate, etc.