Why Introverts Should Blog

I have always been told I was shy. Through different college classes and honestly just life, I have learned that firstly, you should not label people, because the more they are told something (i.e. shy), they more they become that. And secondly, I am not 'shy,' rather an introverted-extrovert, which means I love being around people and socializing, but it drains my energy and I need my own space to recharge and recover from an outing.

Now on top of being an introvert, I also have social anxiety. There were points were I would sit in my car in front of Starbucks and end up just driving home, instead of going inside and studying. Or just the other day there were workmen in front of our house (repairing gas lines or something) and the walk to my car could not have seemed farther (even though it was literally just right in front of the house. So point is even though I clearly still suffer through these problems, it is not nearly as bad and honestly, once I learned to take a deep breath and just walk - one foot in front of another - I have gotten to participate in so many fun experiences that I probably would have not gotten to do otherwise. A life motto is just go, it is better to say "wish I hadn't done that" or "omg that was so much fun!" instead of "I wonder what it was like" or "that sounds like so much fun, I wish I had gone" (<--- I have said that last one wayyyyy too many times). Better to experience, instead of regret not going/trying it.

The title of this post is why introverts should blog, I believe that in the past four years, since starting college and blogging (especially publicly), I have completely changed. Not so much in my personality, that has pretty much stayed the same. More in the sense that through different experiences, classes, assignments, I have become more social and outgoing. And that is huge, for an introvert to grab hold of their extroverted side more easily is a huge learning process.

Thinking back just two years ago, to my first relationship, I had such a hard time opening up and some of it was because both of us were introverts. Anyway it is definitely a good night and day difference to how I am now. Thankful for my adventurous side that made me participate in three study-abroad programs; going on trips like that knowing no one is hard, but great for so many reasons. College has helped me overcome many fears - which includes speeches. Found out I am actually great at speaking in front of people- if I am prepared and know what I am going to say (I cannot improvise for the life of me, I start forgetting what I was talking about and have trouble thinking of what to say next).

Here is an example of what I have done in the past WEEK, that I probably wouldn't have done a few years ago - attended a Young Adult event Tuesday evening, drove to Plano (an hour and a half - during rush hour, by myself) for a Style Collective dinner Thursday, Saturday drove to Dallas for StyleCon, Sunday had a coffee date with a guy I meet on Tuesday. Seriously, though a few years ago, I would have done maybe one of those, and definitely not all in a week. Alright now clearly that was from a build up of confidence, and not just an immediate effect from one thing or another, but still.

Okay so on to why blogging has helped me. Here's the deal, you have to actually make the blog public and share it! Honestly, I have been blogging for over four and a half years, but it has only help since rebranding and making it public, earlier this year. It is not going to help, if no one knows about it, lol. So sharing it among friends and family on social media is a great starting point.

You have the option of writing posts in the comfort of your own home or you could go to the local coffee shop. Blogging is an amazing way for one to express one's self easily. I have always had the issue of having a hard time opening up to people close to me, but not having that issue with strangers - I believe that had something to do with the feeling of being judged.

Blogging has opened a whole new world for me. It defiantly takes a lot of work on your end, because (well at least where I started), chances are you do not know anyone else who is blogging or knowing, literally, no one else who was going through the same thing. So there is a lot of research and reaching out that one has to do. I found Style Collective, which is for the #bloggergirlbosses out there, who want a helping hand, instead of the constant competition that surrounds the business.