Back in May I wrote a post about saying yes to things that scare you. Since then, the scariest thing I’ve done is continue to share more about my thoughts and feeling on the blog. But in my everyday life, off the internet, I’ve basically been chugging along like always.
So this month, I made a decision to plan to do more things that scare me and I wanted to share a few of them with you…out loud.
I always joke that I started blogging because I had no friends when I moved for work back in 2013. But in reality, I’d already been living there for 4 months by the time I started the blog and I still knew no one except my roommates and people from work.
That’s kind of sad when you think about it but not actually surprising if you know me in real life. As outgoing as I may seem on the web, it’s actually a lot harder for me to connect with others in person. I wouldn’t call myself shy but as an introvert, large scale human interaction definitely isn’t my forte.
As such, I usually go to great lengths to avoid having to do pesky thinks like making small talk and networking. So blogging seemed like the perfect way for me to ‘meet’ like minded people without actually having to go out and meet them.
But over the last year, especially since graduating from university, I’ve realised that I can’t keep using my introversion as an excuse. So next month, I’ll be taking a giant leap and attending three different in person events that will force me out of my introverted comfort zone and encourage me to meet people who are as interested in food, health, fitness and/or blogging as I am.
3 Ways I’m stepping out of my comfort zone in August
1. Attending the canfitpro expo (again)
I was at last year’s canfitpro world fitness expo and even did a series of posts on my experience. But to be completely honest, I don’t think I made the most of it. I wasn’t the only blogger in attendance but beyond a cursory ‘hey, nice to meet you IRL’ I didn’t really go out of my way to socialise. Which I think was a huge mistake.
One of the main reasons I went to the expo in the first place last year was to meet like minded people and I think it’s safe to say that I totally failed at that goal. Yes, I worked out, went to various sessions, heard talks from amazing presenters and learned a tonne about healthy eating and fitness. But that one-on-one connection was sorely lacking and I only have myself to blame.
So I’ll be going out of my way to change that this year.
2. Doing the Goodlife City Chase
I mentioned the City Chase a few month’s ago in my post on fun ways to stay active in the summer but I totally just glossed over my fears about it. When I was first invited to attend, my immediate reaction was ‘how cool!‘ but it quickly changed to ‘hell no’ for a couple of reasons.
First, it’s in Toronto. I’ve been to Toronto before and I don’t hate it but I definitely don’t classify as a native. Usually, that wouldn’t be an issue, but the City Case is basically one giant scavenger hunt so some knowledge of the city is required. And since I have none, I’m pretty sure I’ll have to ask randoms for assistance along the way. But the real issue was that there’s a party/networking event at the end of the chase that we already know will send me wayyyy out of my happy place.
But in the end, I accepted the invitation and plan to crush the eff out of that chase. Because I refuse to let my status as an introvert stop me from doing something I actually want to do.
3. Blogger meetups
This one is probably going to be the hardest for me but it’s the one I plan to push myself into doing the most. Although I have actual IRL friends, I’ve always thought it would be cool to meet and chat with other bloggers who understood my passion for blogging. But I was also secretly glad that there aren’t more bloggers in my area because then I wouldn’t have an excuse not to go out and actually meet them.
But next month, that’s all changing because I’ve been invited to two events for bloggers. One is a brunch and the other is a live podcast and while my instinctive reaction was, ‘crap, I’ll have to leave my house’, I’m pretty excited to finally meet and interact with other bloggers in my area.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
- Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
- Have you ever been to one of these events or something similar?
- What’s one thing you did this summer that scared you?
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This post was written as part of the GoodLife Fitness Blogger Ambassador Program; however all opinions expressed are my own.
Going to Blogfest was a huge step outside my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I did it! I just had to make sure to get away for quite time (by the pool in LA, which was lovely) to ensure my energy stayed up.
Bri recently posted…The surprising reason why I haven’t been able to lose weight
This right there is my life. Even when I’m with friends and having fun I need to find somewhere peaceful to get away and recharge or I’ll be a hot mess 🙈
I’m definitely an introvert too! I’ve never attended an event like this or a blogger meet up, but I’d really like to. It’s super important to step out from behind the screen and these are the perfect ways to do that. One thing I did to step out of my comfort zone this summer was to talk to and get to know the owners of a new vegan and gluten free bakery/cafe I tried out. I don’t know why I was so nervous to approach them! It was awesome getting to hear the story behind the business and learn about them.
xxMeah
Meah recently posted…Drop And Give Me ZEN
as someone who works at home and is an only child, I don’t mind being on my own at all. but I have realized how much that time around others improves life, so I do push myself to get out when I’d be just as content at home 🙂
I’m an introvert like you and it’s really hard to push yourself into that uncomfortable zone. Big group settings are tough but I’ve been trying to do them more often.
Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #78
Oh wow, this is something that speaks to me too. I’m kind of an introverted extrovert. I love meeting new people, but I’m also just as comfortable being at home and kind of being a hermit with my family. But I need to get out to more Blogger meet-ups. I still have a goal of doing so, but I admit that there has been some shyness/fear, and I need to step outside of that. Thank you for giving me another little push Giselle. One step at a time… 🙂
Emily Swanson recently posted…Thinking Out Loud: Why Emotions Aren’t Bad
I am very introverted and have discovered that blogger meetups are actually not that scary. Most bloggers are introverted and feeling the same as you. You know yesterday I was reading in nutrition class about introverts being some of the best coaches. Sometimes what you think is a weakness may actually be your strength.
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Is A Smoothie Sabotaging Your Weight Loss? How To Lighten Up A Smoothie
Introverted all the way. It’s funny because I used force myself out of my comfort zone and push to be more social because I thought my introversion was a problem, buuuuuut no matter how many times I did it, it just would.not.take. Like, I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it to there point where I thought it was better than me just doing my regular old thing. I feel like society treats introversion like it’s a problem that needs to be remedied with more social interaction, when in reality, there’s nothing wrong with not wanting to be social all that often. We just need to find something else that we can channel our energy into that’ll bring us fulfillment #introverted&proud
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…what was this doing in my toilet?!?! (ToL#193)
I am definitely an introvert, and I think that is common among bloggers! I went to IDEA World/Blogfest a couple weeks ago, and my biggest regret is not talking to more people because I was feeling shy (I shift between shy and outgoing). Remember – most of the people there feel the same way you do. Do them a favor and say hi first! <3
TOTAL introvert here. I do try to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone from time to time, but I still feel like my introversion holds me back and I don’t always make the most of every experience because of it. That being said I’ve been pretty holed up in my comfort zone lately and feel like I need to get out of it. Thanks for the reminder and inspiration. 🙂
Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen recently posted…Dairy Free Chocolate Tofu Pudding
I’m a total extrovert, but haven’t gotten into the meet up portion of the blog world yet. It’s still sometimes scary to admit that I have a blog to friends and family. Yet, professionally I share it all the time. Maybe some day I’ll get brave enough to attend an event and be able to say hello IRL too!
Oh man, you are pretty much describing me right here. Moving to a new city on my own without knowing anyone has definitely made it difficult to make friends that aren’t at work. I’ve been trying to do a couple meetups to get myself out and about, but is definitely something I struggle with, Thanks for sharing your story!
Emily @Sinful Nutrition recently posted…WIAW: Grill Marks the Spot
Being an introvert is not bad at all, but if you really sincerely want to get out of your comfort zone, there are a lot of ways to do this. I recommend trying this one https://www.shrooms-online.net/ , it will show your new features 🙂