I recently attended a 3-day leadership conference. It was one of those guru/bonding/informative/motivational type of events. It was also a new experience for me. Not only do new experiences (not to mention loud experiences) tend to effect my energy, but in a classic case of “do as I say, not as I do,” I didn’t honor my introversion the first day of the event. On that first day I was tired by early afternoon and exhausted by the time I got home.

Fortunately, I had a good idea of what I did wrong, and the subsequent two days of the event were much more pleasant. I’ve recorded a video describing three things I did differently on the second and third days days to honor my introversion. Scroll down past the video for a few extra tips for multi-day events. You can use the tips in the video or on this blog for all sorts of events like lectures and conferences, even full-day family outings!

Here are a few extra tips for you:
1. During the days leading up to the event, make sure you tie up loose ends (like errands or cleaning) so that your entire evenings after the conference can be dedicated to recharging.
2. Pick out your outfits a week in advance, just in case you need to buy something new or get something hemmed.
3. Become clear on the primary reason you’re attending. Is it to gain more knowledge? Network? Find clients? Create deep connections? Kill time? Get out of your comfort zone? Events can satisfy many intentions, if you become clear on the primary reason you’re attending you’ll experience less FOMO (fear of missing out).
4. If you say something you regret either apologize as soon as you can, or let it go. Either way, quickly learn from the mistake and then move on.
5. If you do something embarrassing, remember about The Spotlight Effect. To quote Wikipedia, “The reasoning behind the spotlight effect comes from innate tendency to forget that although one is the center of one’s own world, one is not the center of everyone else’s.” If you’ve done something embarrassing, chances are you’ll be thinking about it far more than anyone else.
6. If someone comments on your introversion, don’t get defensive and argumentative. Being defensive and argumentative does not lead to a deeper connection and understanding. And yes, this tip was based on an experience I had at the conference. The poor guy was a sweet person, and me getting angry at him didn’t help either of us.

Did I leave anything out? Let me know in the comments sections!