#nocomfortzone Challenge: People

So Hive account@katrina-ariel challenged me to talk about things that take me out of my comfort zone, and for me, there's only one answer: It's people. Specifically, crowds. I can walk around at ICon, our largest convention, where I have been senior staff for YEARS, where I give talks and participate in panels, and if I'm not talking to one of my friends or have a task, I am lost. I look around and think "who are these people?"

Image: vvaniasantoss on Pixabay
I'm comfortable with my SO, and with my friends. I'm comfortable right here in front of my computer. But "people" as a group? I am very uncomfortable.

Part of it is social anxiety. Part of it is not being great at remembering people's faces. I remember my friends, of course, but at any given time I may have multiple facebook friends around and not know it.

Last year, I found a fairly extreme solution to this. For the first time in years, we didn't have an author guest of honor. So for the first time in years, I didn't have a job at the con. Usually I'm the GoH liaison and head of the GoH team. With no GoH, no job. So I decided to create my own comfort zone. Instead of walking around the con, I picked the nearest nice cafe, and announced to the internet that's where I can be found. I also made friend dates with friends at the con who I don't see often.

One way I've been stepping out of my comfort zone is reward fulfillment events for my publishing house's crowdfunding campaign. Sure, these are people I automatically like: They supported the most important project of my life. And they probably have positive feelings towards me, as they gave me money to be a publisher. But I still don't know most of them, and that's nerve-racking. I love these events, but they are incredibly draining.

So, if we ever meet at a con or something and we're pals online, please let me know who you are on the internet. I'll be instantly more comfortable. Thanks.