Being An Introverted & Shy Blogger
In the past, I've spoken quite a lot about being an introvert and being shy [the two don't always go hand in hand]. But it's not something that I've ever seen properly discussed when it comes to blogging. For a lot of people who are shy and introverted, they seek comfort online but it's not always the case and here's how I deal with being an introverted & shy blogger in a very busy online world.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE INVOLVED WITH EVERYTHING
When you first start out in the blogging world there is this strange pressure to be involved in absolutely everything and it's all too easy to feel like if you don't then there is no way that your blog will do well. And of course, whilst our logical brain knows that isn't the case the not so logical part can panic and feel like we have to do everything all at once. The blogging world is awesome and there are so many attractive parts of it but there are some parts that we probably have no desire to do at all. There is no formula or set way to navigate your way through the blogging world you just have to try and test things and see what works for you.
IT'S OK TO BE SHY
Being shy has such negative connotations to it. It's so easy to mistake someone being shy for them being stuck up or rude and it's very rarely the case. I'm someone who is incredibly shy at first and there is nothing wrong with that and it doesn't mean I'm not a nice person but I need a little time to find my feet in whatever type of social situation I'm in. And even though I absolutely love connecting with like minded people online I really struggle to reach out to people on things like Twitter and Instagram. But I do really enjoy chatting to others in the blogging world because they're so many awesome people out there. And more often than not you find yourself gravitating towards people who are also just as shy as you are and it's much easier to connect to people who understand that.
FIND WHAT GIVES YOU ENERGY IN THE BLOGGING WORLD
Like many others I never started blogging to make friends, it was just simply an outlet for me to write about whatever I felt like. And meeting awesome people along the way has been a great added bonus. However, some people find the social side to blogging completely overwhelming and a complete drain on their energy. Finding what give you energy in the blogging is so important. For me, it's always been the process of putting together a post. From having that initial idea, planning the photographs, editing and then finally hitting schedule is all something that gives me a huge boost. Whereas if I spent all day on social media I know my energy levels would take a huge dip.
MAKE YOUR CONNECTIONS THE WAY YOU WANT TO
Things like blogger meetups, twitter chats, events and everything else in that category are all awesome things that go on in the blogging world. And so many people have made some of their closest friends through things like that but it's not the only way that you can make connections through blogging. Reaching out to someone via e-mail or a private message is something that can be really daunting. But personally, I find it much more of a safe environment to get to know someone a little more without having to worry about other people seeing and judging your conversation.
BLOGGING CAN BE OVERWHELMING
Even now, 5 years on. The blogging world is still something that I find can easily become overwhelming. It's very noisy and there is always something going on and when you're introverted even though it's online and not physical human contact it can still feel draining on your mind. But the best thing about the blogging world is that you can navigate it in whatever way you like and there will always be at least one person who you can relate to online. And you're totally allowed to feel overwhelmed, even when you adore and enjoy something that doesn't mean you're immune to feeling overwhelmed and it's not always a negative emotion.
