Introverted Influencer

Mini Summer Recap

It’s been about a month since I last published a blog post and I definitely needed some downtime. My primary goal this summer break was to hustle as much as I could, so it was hard to pump the breaks without guilt right before the Fall semester began. But, I put the guilt aside because I always try to listen to my body and it was yearning for rest and recuperation.  My wisdom teeth were causing me some severe problems so I had to put work aside and focus on my health.

As far as completing my seasonal goals, I feel like I was productive and learned a lot. This summer I envisioned doing an endless amount of collaborations, but instead only managed to get a few in. Initially, this left me feeling a bit unsatisfied, but in hindsight I feel it was for the best. Although I didn't partake in nearly as many collaborations as I envisioned, I was able to grow my following by over 1,300 newbies within this timeframe. I also invested A LOT of time listening to podcasts related to blogging, business, marketing, or health and soaked the information up like a sponge.

What I have taken away most from the last few months is the need to focus on myself and my online business. One podcast I listened to mentioned how important it is to know who you are and what your goals are in order to choose the right projects. The woman mentioned that every time you say "yes" to one thing you are saying "no" to something else. This thought process put a lot into perspective for me and reinforced that I don’t need to say “YES” to everything. Working with this mentality will help me improve as a business woman and further execute my vision.

Shy Girl

​I’ve been an introvert ever since I can remember. As a little girl my natural temperament was very shy and outside circumstances contributed to my reservations. For the first ten years of my life I was an only child so I was used to being alone. My Oma (German grandmother) always encouraged me to be artistic whether it was singing, dancing, drawing, or playing. I wasn’t really “allowed” to be bored. She would tell me, “There are so many things to do in this world and if you’re bored, you aren’t trying hard enough to use your imagination or entertain yourself.” As a little girl, I had a handful of friends, but spent most of my time playing with Barbies and babydolls by myself.

As I entered adolescence, I began to experiment with makeup and different hairstyles to further entertain myself while I was home alone. My favorite part was taking selfies of the final results on disposable cameras. When my mom wasn’t working and we were able to spend quality time together we would often play dress up and take photos of my outfits around the house and on our roof. I wasn’t aware at the time, but the combination of my childhood experiences cultivated my passion for blogging.

​“You’re a blogger, how can you be introverted?!”

​When I reveal my introverted tendencies to others in the community they are often surprised and respond with something like, "I never would have guessed!" or “You’re a blogger, how can you be introverted?!" To an extent, I understand the thought process and confusion. Influencers expose their face, curated life, and personal thoughts to the world which could mislead someone into thinking they are extroverted. However, as much as the internet connects individuals and communities, it also allows a person to camouflage themselves behind a screen. Whether it’s a blogger (or online bully) it’s typically easier to expose yourself online because you aren’t directly interacting with others face to face.

Growing Pains

 ​One thing I have struggled with as a shy person in this industry is going to networking events because introverted tendencies often equate to social anxiety. Large groups filled with strangers often make my insides cringe, but being forced to interact in a herd of people with similar interests has helped improve my social skills. Growth is often painful because it takes us out of our comfort zone and pushes our limits, but I strive to constantly evolve. I try my best to embrace growing pains because I know it will make me a better person in the end.  As I mentioned in last month's post networking is imperative to succeed in this industry so attending events is very important.

Being an Influencer has helped me come out of my shell more, however I do still prefer interacting with others one on one which is why I like to meet other bloggers for coffee dates and such. After meeting dozens of other creatives in the blogging industry, I have learned that there are many other introverted influencers out there too!  Many of the friends I have met through Instagram are creative homebodies as well.  In fact, I have hit it off with several bloggers in a special way that live their life similarly to me. I think one thing we all have in common is that we are focused and dedicated to our work. Being introverted helps to ignore distractions and focus on your goals as an individual.

​If you are a creative introvert you should start a blog because:

1. You are your own boss and creative director
2. Blogging provides a fulfilling outlet for creativity
3. There are many other introverted bloggers you can genuinely connect with
4. It will challenge you to grow out of your shell
5. You can work from home or at a cafe

Before I go...

If you have kept up with my posts for a while you may have read in the past that I became committed to blogging while going through a depression.  My early twenties were a particularly hard time for me and becoming an influencer truly gave me a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I needed to rise above my hardships.  I was surprised that something seemingly so simple could bring me so much joy, but it truly has which is why I am so supportive of others who want to join this industry as well.