Pushing Myself Outside My Comfort Zone. Big Time.

I’m an introvert. Those of you who know me through INFORMS may shake your head and say, “No way! She talks all the time.” And I do, at meetings, because that is my job. I’m there to help facilitate networking and making members feel comfortable. But I’m most comfortable one on one with someone I know, I joke that they aren’t “people,” I can be myself with them.

I heard a speaker a couple months ago at the HOW Conference, who challenged everyone to one hour a week of doing something for yourself creatively. Writing is not my top choice of medium to be creative, so I decided that was a great place to start. I’m trying, not super successfully, to post on a topic once a week. People have been reading them (thanks!), so I keep getting the “people are looking at your profile” notices. My profile picture was taken about 12 years ago with what is now referred to as the “poodle do.”

I prefer being behind the camera. Having a buffer. Having a safe zone. Not the center of attention. 

But in the interest of a good photo, I allowed myself to be present, if not comfortable, in the moment. I got all glammed up, sat up straight, and smiled. It wasn’t horrible.

Pushing yourself into the uncomfortable can lead to growth. And hopefully a great profile picture!