It’s Friday night – so why are you sitting on your couch in your slouchy sweats? Yes, it may be cold outside and you may have just wrapped up the workweek from hell, but those are lame excuses for having a boring night in – and they could even be the reason you’re still single.

You may think it’s not a big deal if you stay home, but it’s actually taking a toll on your love life. As Amy Spencer, author of Meeting Your Half-Orange: An Utterly Upbeat Guide to Using Dating Optimism to Find Your Perfect Match (Running Press) explains, tonight is your chance to go out and have a good time, which will make you a happier and more interesting person. And this is what will bring you even closer to finding your “half-orange,” that perfect person who complements you in life and love. ”Quite simply, the more positively ‘you’ and happy you are, the more likely you are to naturally draw the right person straight to you,” she says.

So what are you waiting for? Start 2010 off on the right note: ditch those sweats for a sexy dress, call up your girls, and get your booty out the door! Here are 8 reasons why you’re making the right choice:

1. You’ll feel alive!
We’re all for zoning out to reality TV from time to time, but the sad truth is that you’re watching other people live their lives while yours is spent on the couch. Enough already! According to Spencer, this habit is doing nothing for your brain, your heart, your body or your spirit. “Actually getting up and going out and seeing what the world has to offer will make you feel far more alive,” she says.

2. You’ll learn something.
“Going out” doesn’t always have to mean going to a bar. Mix it up and try something new, like taking a sushi-making class, going to a wine-tasting party or exploring a new part of town. As Spencer explains, “You’ll learn something new every day if you put yourself in a position to do so, and these experiences will make you a smarter, wiser, warmer and more knowledgeable person.”

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3. You’ll make new connections.
For single girls, going out is usually all about meeting a new guy, but why not try a different strategy? Open yourself up to meeting all sorts of new people, like an interesting potential new female friend or an older, wiser gentleman. “Maybe you won’t date that person,” says Spencer, “but you’ll gain something from them, maybe learn something about yourself, and who knows, maybe you’ll find out that they have a cute son, brother or friend they want to set you up with.”