What can you do to improve your life without spending money?

Answer 1

There are a lot of things you can do to improve yourself without money. One of them is reading. You can go to the local library, or if there isn't one in your area, you can read online. There are tons of books on many subjects in the gutenberg project or on Google Books. Even a lot fiction can help you learn about people and relationships. Not romance though... that stuff is completely unrealistic and will just set up expectations that no one can meet.

Another one is starting out with some safe conversations. I usually use Board Games or tabletop roleplaying games to interact with people until I get more comfortable with them. You can start out with anyone. Just ask them if they want to play a game. It doesn't (and probably shouldn't at first) need to jump into friendship or anything more. It's just practice in talking to people. The more you play, the more practice you will get in just talking.

You can also play roleplaying games online if you are stressed about in person (of course, getting to in-person communication is probably the eventual goal, but only go as fast as you feel ready to). Roll20 and several other places offer play-by-post games, and all the rules are online, so you don't have to buy or own anything.

Meditation or prayer can help. Clearing your mind, communicating with God, asking for help... all of those things help me to stay calm and to weather the storms, be less paranoid, and be able to handle even bad or embarassing moments in life. Joining and attending a church is often a good way to meet kind people and find a place you can fit in.

Exercising, practicing Martial Arts, or other physical exertion things like sports can help as well. It helps because you feel good about exercise and get some endorphins, but also there are some human interaction things that could help if you are outdoors or in a team, doing something. Hint: compliment others on good plays or form.

Hobbies are a big thing that can help too. Pick something you like and learn more about it. There are tons of resources online where you can really geek out about fly fishing, coin collecting, writing, or whatever.

Keep a journal. Sometimes it is good to write down what you are feeling and thinking. It also helps you to come up with ideas about what to do next, or to see your progress.

Education. Even if you can't afford to go to school, you can learn. There are free classes online. You could learn programming, or writing, learn another language, or other skills--almost anything you want. And knowledge can also lead to further opportunities, not only socially, but financially.

The last, and most important thing is... have patience. I know it seems like other people around you all have their lives in order and feel confident and successful, but the truth is... almost all of it are just faking it. We're doing our best, but we also fear mockery and lots of us find it hard to meet other people. We just have to act confident to get through the day... and once you act it enough, lots of times you can learn to really feel it. Things get better.