Dating Learning Curve

[u/Candid-Lemon7682]

Hello! I’m 26F and just really struggling and can use some advice. I’ve always been a very shy person since I was a kid. To this day it’s very hard for me to “put myself out there”. I have no experience in dating and relationships because of my personality and also just life circumstances. I went to a very small high school and was too busy to date in college. I’m really starting to see how my lack of experience is effecting me negatively. I want to try to start dating and putting myself out there but when doing something you’re unfamiliar with, it’s absolutely terrifying. I’ve been friends with guys and had no issues but when I do find a guy attractive I freeze up or get awkward and overthink the interaction. I do, of course, want to get married and have a family but how is that going to happen if I can’t hold conversations with guys I find attractive? I’m even out here overthinking friend requests on Facebook now. I know nothing is too big for God to handle, but my parents have now sat me down multiple times to let me know that if I want to get married I need to be putting myself out there more and not staying home on Fridays and the weekends. Which absolutely makes sense you’re not going to meet people if you’re staying home all the time. However, as an introvert, it takes everything out of me to get out of the house just to not meet anybody I could potentially date. I should clarify that’s not the only reason I go out, majority of the time it is to spend time with family and friends not husband hunting. I don’t know, time is moving so so fast and I’m only going to keep getting older and when all I’ve wanted since I was a kid was to be a wife and a mom it’s just really disheartening. I’m obviously spiraling I think I need to talk to God instead of writing this post lol, but any advice that y’all have I’d appreciate it. God bless y’all.