Anyone who knows me really well, probably has picked up on the fact that I’m a total introvert. But a huge part of my job is mixing and mingling with brands, other content creators and PR contacts, so I thought I’d share a little glimpse into how I’ve overcome my inner introvert and made it work in my favor – especially at industry events!
Now before I begin, I should preface all of this and say, these are steps I take to help me out in this very “in your face” industry – this certainly isn’t a “cure”
Prepare Ahead of Time
For me, large crowds of people I don’t know give me a lot of anxiety, I know this about myself. I also know that I’m a big girl and there will be times when I will be in those situations. I try to always mentally prepare myself before walking into a scenario that might be a trigger for me as an introvert. When I’m prepared, I can usually muscle through until it’s time to go back home.
How Do You Recharge?
It is important to know how you recharge yourself after being in an environment that may be overstimulating for you. I know that I need to be left alone. I thrive in complete silence and need it after a long day. Do you know what you need to recharge and are you giving yourself the time and space to do so?
These next tips are for when you have to be out and about for work/industry functions:
Work the room
When I go to an event, as painful, scary and overwhelming as it feels on the inside, I try to suppress all of that and work the room. I take a deep breath and introduce myself to as many people as I can. At industry events, you’ll end up seeing some of the same people out and about. It helps to make the introduction, that way when you’re at the next one, you can say hello to familiar faces.
Fake it til you make it
I hate to break it to you but… this is 100% good advice. I usually have to pretend like I’m not completely overwhelmed, over it and ready to go and believe it or not, it works. It is a total mental game. I know that at the end of the day, in order for me to continue to grow my business and get my name out there, I have to get really uncomfortable and do things that I normally wouldn’t necessarily “want” to do. It has paid off in a big way and every day I push myself to do something that makes me really uncomfortable that will ultimately help me in the long run.
Be smart, take breaks
While you’re out there faking it til you make it, I know how mentally exhausting it can be, especially if you’re new to this! So take breaks and when you’re done – just be done! I keep my sanity by knowing my limits and keeping my mental health top of mind at all times.
Any fellow introverts out there? What tips and tricks do you use?
