March 23: Put Yourself Out There

I had a nice chat with my g-ma today.  And when I told her that I was writing for a website she said, "that's good, now people will know you are alive."  And I thought it was really funny for some reason.  It is really hard for me to put myself out there, in any capacity.  Meeting new people, striking up conversations, trying to make valuable contacts.  Even in our personal relationships that should already be comfortable- we don't like to be vulnerable, we don't like to apologize or look weak or strange or let the people in our lives really know how much we love them, how much we need them.  Logically, I can work things out.  The more friends you have, the more loved you feel and the more fulfilling your life.  The more contacts you make, the higher the chance of finding someone who may teach you something or provide you an amazing opportunity you otherwise wouldn't have had.  The more generous you are with yourself in your personal relationships, the more generous those people will be with you, and the deeper and more meaningful those relationships will be.  I know all of this... and yet...
     So I looked up "How to Put Yourself Out There," and found some disturbing advice. 1.) Think of ways to get more attention.  (I am the "put on your sunglasses, be quiet, blend in, and observe girl.")  2.) Be courteous, confident, and outgoing.  (Courteous, okay... but confident? yikes.)  3.) Go for what you want.  (You mean instead of waiting for someone to pluck me out of obscurity and hand it to me?)  4.) Stay dedicated and determined.  (Guess my "try it once and move on" technique is holding me back...) and 5.) Don't be afraid of change.  (This one I can really get behind.  I LOVE change.  And not just because it's shiny and goes "ting" when you put it in a jar.  I THRIVE on it!)
     Anyway, I am mildly proud of myself tonight because I "put myself out there" in several ways today: I emailed an artist who was kind enough to check out my blog and comment, I introduced myself to several business owners downtown while researching for my latest article, and I struck up random conversations with total strangers while out and about.  Were all of these interactions rousing success stories?  Not really.  But hey, who knows what the future holds...

“Each one of you has something no one else has, or has ever had: your fingerprints, your brain, your heart. Be an individual. Be unique. Stand out. Make noise. Make someone notice. That's the power of individuals.” ~Jon Bon Jovi