Attend a networking event or meet-up, even if you’re feeling shy.

“So I just went to my first meetup yesterday, as I'm now challenging myself to do things I'm not comfortable doing and it was excruciating!!! Entered the room saw about a 100+ people, almost all of them in clusters talking very animatedly or otherwise seeming rather deeply involved in conversation. Finally saw a table with only 2 people and almost sprinted there and straight off the bat asked a rather lame question in a effort to join in. Somehow ploughed through that conversation and stayed put until the networking portion of the meetup was over.”

“I'm a shy introvert who works from home, and I wanted to leave my comfort zone and join a language exchange. It was at a bar, but once I arrived there, I couldn't figure out which table these people were sitting at, and I was too ashamed to ask random people "excuse me, are you the Meetup group?", so I just ordered a beer and sat by myself in the bar. I was hoping to meet some new friends, but as always my shyness and social awkwardness won :( It feels really pathetic, especially at the age of 28.”

“So, I took the PATH into the city and rode the L train to Williamsburg, walked a block in the wrong direction, turned around, and walked a few more blocks to the Arlo. I was nervous and excited as I rode the elevator up to the rooftop, because I’m an imposter‼️ I don’t even work in tech. Greg tells me that this is also his first time at a networking event, and he was glad that I came up to him because he’s really shy! Ice = broken!”