Any of this sound familiar?
1. You hate walking into a beige hotel ballroom stuffed with people wearing name tags, so you avoid them....like the plague.
2. You know you want to change jobs or launch a business, but you feel like you don't know anyone except your cat. And you are pretty sure she's not hiring.
3. You've kept your head down working diligently. But in the meantime, you've kind of lost touch with everyone (and your career feels stalled).
3. You've been reaching out to people, and getting...crickets. Seriously, no one is responding!
4. And you worry that when you do reach out to someone for help, you are using them... and that feels gross.
5. Networking makes you have FEELINGS. Like feeling tired. Or drained. Or Shy. Or like a bother. Seriously, your couch is comfy. Do you have to?
Here's the good news about networking: You were born to do it.
Networking is a part of being human - we as a species have relied on it since the dawn of time. We use it to help share wisdom, advance our survival and build our happiness. Think about it: Anytime you ask for a reference to find a plumber, or meet an old friend to catch up, or talk to someone new at a picnic, you are networking.
And here's the GREAT news: Networking is not only something you are wired to do naturally, it's also a skill. Which makes it something that you can learn to do even better.
So you don't have to feel anxious, worried, tired, or like a networking fraud anymore. You can learn to know exactly what to say at an event, how to reach out to strangers on social media and turn them into friends, and how to do this networking thing your way, so you feel comfortable...even if you hate people and want to stab anyone who uses the word "networking" in the eye.