Tag: networking

Won’t feel blue when I get excited

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Made in Canva

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

Daily Writing Prompt

My excitement doesn’t show on the outside, so people don’t see it. Sports events are different, though. If a Finn or a team succeeds in a competition or a game, I cheer for them. Unlike other people, I don’t even need alcohol for that. I never liked that stuff. I don’t feel blue when I get excited. Especially when it’s about getting more confidence. Too many things have put me down in the past. I got excited at first, but the feeling faded. If it’s been in schools or workplaces. I haven’t found the right way that makes me feel comfortable. But now it might be different.

I’m taking part in two courses. The first is about taking photos with a digital camera and posting them on social media. I’m in its third week. It has 8 modules on different subjects related to photography. You get better photos with an SLR (single-lens reflex camera) than a mobile phone. Learning to take pictures with a camera with all the manual settings takes a while. It’s been a while since I did that, which is one of the reasons why I’m taking this course. But also because it has a Facebook group where you can share your assignments and contact other students. You can get help from the group or the organizers. It’s not only photography but also how to post regularly on Instagram. I participated in a free webinar about taking photos in one day, and the course was mentioned. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to join the course. I’ve taken pictures with my iPhone lately because it’s easier to carry. I might get excited again to use a camera. So far, I have no regrets. The teachers are professional photographers, and the FB community is fabulous. In this course, you get feedback on how to become a better photographer. When I studied photography from 2014 to 2015, we got feedback on our assignments, but I didn’t get any comments afterward, so you didn’t know if you improved your photos. Different people have different methods to teach others, so it’s nice to see another perspective.

The other course I’m taking starts on September 2. It’s about stepping into Instagram marketing. It’s for small businesses or those who are planning one. It has 8 modules with different subjects, such as social media strategies and building confidence in front of the camera. It sounded interesting when I took part in a webinar about the course. It isn’t cheap, but it might pay in the end. Both courses are in Finnish and females. They all sound like great people, too. I’m excited about both courses and know I’ll learn something. Anything new I learn is like that. I’ve put things off with becoming an entrepreneur for different reasons. Maybe I’m getting closer to it because I’m bored with my job search. I have people who can support me and help me get forward. I’m glad I don’t need to network on events when I can do it online. I feel blue when I hear or read about how to call or meet people at events. For an introvert, it’s hell. There must be other ways to market your business or when you’re only starting out. The courses I’m taking will help in a lot of things.

I hope my excitement will last a little longer this time, or I will feel blue again.

All talk, no action

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man and woman talking on chairs
Photo: Free WP image

What topics do you like to discuss?

Daily Prompt

I have a lot of topics that I like to discuss but no one to do it with. I write a blog instead. It’s mostly talk and no action, but at least I get my thoughts down. Some things are important to me but don’t seem like that to others. If I had a pet, I would talk to it. Since I don’t, I speak to Mon Ami, my favourite toy monkey. Maybe it’s weird, but I like some weirdness, and I don’t care what people think. Certain things you can’t write in a blog. They are private. I also don’t want people to know about my sad infatuations. Talking or writing is food for the mind, and you need to take it out of your mind one way or another.

I like to discuss music, movies, photography, graphic design, blogging, sport etc. But I don’t talk politics or religion. Or private things. I might say other facts about me, but nothing intimate. It’s no one’s business but my own. For specific topics, I only have opinions and short answers. Other issues I could talk about for hours. A shame; not many people want to know what I have to say. I don’t like talking about things just to talk. What most people are talking about doesn’t interest me. I don’t like networking because there is no soul in them. I like deep conversations. Unfortunately, people who want to do that don’t exist in real life. Without the internet, there would be no one to share thoughts with. It’s a wide, wide world. Blogging is a great way to express yourself when you are an introvert like me. It’s no point explaining what an introvert is to people who don’t want to understand. But that is a topic for another day.

Networking is just another word for decorated

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colourful game pieces
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On Wednesday I went to a job fair. I went to listen to a few speeches and nothing else. One was about why there aren’t many females in ‘Information technology’ and the other was about knowing the right people. The rest of the speeches isn’t relevant to this post. What they had in common was networking. In my opinion, networking is just another word for decorated. You have to be “colourful” and be ready to come out of your shell. In other words, be something you’re not. They say you should be yourself but not exactly yourself. This is very difficult for a shy or introverted person. Especially when you should promote yourself about the things you’re good at. Especially females have this problem. We are too modest about our skills. Not everyone can do everything. Life is a learning process and things you can’t do, you can learn.

I don’t like networking and I wish there was a way to avoid human contact altogether when it comes to that. I also don’t like places with a lot of people gathering around in small spaces. I don’t like pretending I’m outgoing when I’m not. I didn’t talk to anyone at the job fair. Except when I met one of the speakers who’s a Finnish celebrity who works on TV. I wasn’t nervous at all when I met him. I wish I could walk to another stranger to introduce myself that easily. When I went to a job interview on Tuesday I wasn’t nervous either. But I never know what to say so I give short answers. Which is probably one of the reasons I don’t get anything. I also don’t know what to say what skills I have. At least not what could be useful in the job market. I can do a lot of different things but I’m not good at either of them. I’m just average.

In one of the speeches, it was said the worse thing that can happen is a no. But I’m not afraid of that because I’m used to it. The worse thing is when you think you hear a yes but then they change their minds. Or you have so much hope but then it’s smashed to pieces one way or another. Then you think why bother when you get nothing in return. That’s what networking is, disappointments and decorated shallowness. The only person who can succeed is someone who knows how to represent themselves. For other’s, it’s much harder. It’s quite sad how job search is more of a circus these days. It’s not only what you can do, but it’s also about what you could do for them. It’s not real, it’s a decoration and people don’t want to or can’t do anything to change that.