Networking for the socially inept

Okay, so maybe I'm not inept but sometimes it really does feel that way. In grade school and all through high school, it would be safe to say that I was branded a "social butterfly" and it was probably a pretty accurate description. More than likely my title as social butterfly should have resulted in a diagnosis of ADHD but it did not and I digress. At some point in my adult life I have gone through a "reverse metamorphosis", I have cocooned and regressed to a introverted caterpillar with a few extroverted tendencies. Which all in all is pretty cool, I don't mind being a homebody, I don't mind avoiding people or public speaking but dang does is make for some interesting navigation of social media "waters".

So, here I am trying to build a business all the while sometimes not wanting to engage with people and most the time just feeling kinda like a lost little caterpillar, while my kids goof on me for asking silly "how do I do this?" questions. It's so weird to even project that image of myself out there because I am often told that I am "intimidating, confident and strong". But alas I too am a casualty of lack of confidence. What the secret you may ask to overcoming a lack of confidence? Well there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle but for me it starts with my people. Thankfully I have an amazing partner. I mean when I tell you this guy is the bomb dot com, I am dead ass serious. Pardon my mouth, but since I am being real here, you should know I cuss a lot, like A LOT, A LOT. Enough about my potty mouth let me tell you about my guy, my guy is encouraging, supportive and motivating. He lets me do my thing creatively, he builds me up when I get discouraged and he pushes me to do better everyday all while being my right hand man, partner in crime (although lets be real we aren't that bad ass) and the guy with all the know how to fix my mistakes. Then there is the rest of my crew, my family, my girls, my extended family and even the coolest six year old I know.

In case you couldn't tell this isn't actually a how to on "how to network" but more or less a how I manage to get through networking and starting a business. It's all about the support system. My partner is amazing. My kids, for all the nonsense they give me, are always there to help me out. Then there is the little guy, he's a real cheerleader; there's nothing like a six year old to remind you how awesome you are with a comment like "see, this is why people trust you with their things Beck, you just know how to make it good".