Since I started at Plan A in late April, I have noticed that it’s a frequent topic of conversation to “push yourself outside of your comfort zone”. Naturally, the first time I heard that phrase I was nervous and unsure and downright scared. At my first networking event I was terrified. How do you talk to people you don’t know? How do you even approach the situation? Do we shake hands? Do I talk first?

I know. I’m a Recruiter who deals with people everyday and a Human Resources graduate, so it should come naturally to me, right? Wrong. I’ve served for years and I find it easy to talk to the public in that sort of setting, but networking is different. It’s more professional. Fewer questions asked and more conversation to be had.

As with anything else, the more I practiced and the more networking events I attended, the easier it got for me and the more comfortable I felt. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is truly where the magic happens; fear comes first, but the magic always comes after. The growth you notice in such a short period of time is amazing. You can almost feel it happening. Never be afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. A positive outcome is the only result. You always come out a better, stronger, able person in the end.