The camaraderie at the RESA conference made it exceptional, thanks to AR (ActiveRain) and Shell
If you are shy or an introvert or find it difficult to be in crowds of "strangers" this blog post is for you. If you are not one of those people, then this post will probably puzzle you and you may find it difficult to understand. SO, we are seeking understanding.
Ever since I can remember, I've been painfully shy. 
I would hide behind my mom even when visitors came to our home. Piano recitals were unbearable. Selling Girl Scout cookies door to door was traumatic. Difficult encounters with people, stay with me for a LONG time.
I normally do not barter with people. I'm straight forward and wish that everyone was the same. Discovering, as a young adult that the title Introvert was me and that there are many others like me, was somewhat reassuring but still didn't make encounters much easier.
If you KNOW me here on AR, are you surprised? If you met me at the Portland Raincamp or the RESA 2011 Conference, are you surprised?
Before leaving for the convention I told an AR friend "I just want to sit in a corner, at these events and disappear." I'm uncomfortably happy sitting back and watching the goings-on. This friend confided in me that she often feels the same but she becomes "an actor" at these events and can thereby go outside of her comfort zone. I wasn't convinced that I could do the same but I promised myself that I would try...again. I had done it before and failed miserably.
HOWEVER, when I walked up to the RESA convention registration desk people recognized me from ActiveRain. Conversations started to flow and I felt more at ease than I had been at any such event in the past.
As the convention progressed I found each meeting with another AR member, to get easier and easier because we felt like we already knew each other from this relationship building platform. I even managed to seek people out that I wanted facetime with since I already KNEW them from AR. This was not like me.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see everyone that I felt a connection with here on AR. Fortunately, this stellar event will undoubtedly take place again next year.
So, if you didn't come to the conference this year, partly because these events are painful for you, then take heart. Knowing that your AR pals will be there can make a BIG difference. Hugs from AR pals are so much better than the handshakes.
THANK YOU Active Rain and Shell Brodnax for creating an environment that ALL of us can enjoy.
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