For years my mother always said I had an outgoing personality and was full of life. That may be true on most days and to some regard I have always been fairly vibrant in my social skills. Somewhere along the line though, there was a paradigm shift and my personal life took a slight left turn. Can I trace it back to any one particular event? Probably not. Am I just getting old? I hope not. Trends aren’t started because of ONE particular thing; ok, maybe they are (ie Michael Jackson and his red jacket). In this case, I’m confident in saying there were a multitude of resources that contributed to my evolutionary change in social personalities (yes, I know it’s plural and I meant it to be).

Society is over-run with social media networks these days. They are blasted in our minds all day long and for me to run down a list of them would just be superfluous at this point.

You can literally find a network for just about anything you’re interested in whether it be careers, industry driven, micro-blogging, photos/videos, and of course just you’re every day ordinary friends network. I’ve even seen one such site that tailors to a specific person. Imagine that…having a social media network that is engulfed with the haughty likes of one individual. You think that’s vain? Maybe, but it’s the internet.

Some, of course, have taken the approach of building their business with such resources. I don’t fault the hard working entrepreneur for wanting to advocate his/her business. After all, we all make futile attempts to market ourselves while scavenging through the virtual highways. All I ask is that they respect the members of the community.

As for me, I have nothing to promote or sell. Unless of course, I’m marketing Versa Dave as a brand, in which case, I am my biggest fan. As shocking as this may sound to some of my more seasoned readers, there tends to be a bit of shyness that kicks in when I’m in public meeting people for the first time. I imagine myself ackwardly stammering over my words in a new meeting or curling myself in a ball, tucked tightly on the loser wall. Over the years I’ve realized that it’s not necessarily that I’m lacking the self-confidence to project my existence, rather I fear the rejection that comes with lack of conversation or shifty eye movements.

Experience has given me circumstantial evidence that if I don’t feel a sense of openness from a person or crowd, then my chances of succeeding are narrow. There needs to be some kind of “open arms” mentality in order for me to progress. I don’t expect you to hug me or give me the fist-bop, but I need to know that you’re willing to speak to me and indulge in a real conversation without judging the situation or me.

For example. My buddies have told me on more than one occassion that I lack the gusto to go talk to a girl that I may find interesting or attractive. Why? Because that’s how society has bred our 21st century females. I’m sure my theory will be proportionately blown out of the water but it deals with security. Alot of women will assume that the reason you want to talk to them is so that you can get something (you know what I mean). Some women guard themselves so much with privacy gates built with Coach purses that a man is immediately intimidated into running in the other direction. This is a generalization of my experiences and in no way is meant to offend all women or characterize the entire gender.

Social media offers me this…an “in”. I can be me without hesitation or reservation. There are others like me…so many others. Even with the exchange of words over tiny pixelated strokes of ink, my confidence to talk to someone & socialize with them grows exponentially! There have been countless times when I met someone online and in our very first live assembly, I can converse like we’ve been friends forever. My true personality shines through and I’m open, free, and relieved of any fear because the barriers have already crumbled!

I contemplated how I would drop names in this article because while I have met many many friends, there are a few who have stopped my heart. If you are not mentioned, please do not be hurt. Your absence from this list does not mitigate our relationship at all. Also keep in mind that these are people I met THROUGH social media…hence proving my point of what social media does for me.

• @princessleah7x: Leah is one of the most exciting people I know. Mostly due to her young spirit I’m sure, but her attitude in life shines through in almost everything she does. She’s a sweetheart and has always been there for me to talk, lurking in the background of my Twitter stream and ready to DM when trouble hits.
• @mdhugo: Matt is an interesting situation because years ago, we worked for the same company, but not directly together. I knew OF him. It wasn’t until Twitter that we connected as friends. Matt and I have similar personalities. I value his input not only as a friend now, but also for his professional stature. I can honestly count him as one of my best friends now.
• @chinacat: Sonya was one of the first St. Louis based friends I ever made (at least in the first 10 I’d think). Her quirky geekiness is what appeals to me and her lively speaking tone is what holds me. I can talk to this girl forever it seems about literally nothing, but still have the most fun ever. She’s a rare breed and one that any network would be better off for having.
• @bekahclark: Not only does Bekah provide a witty sense of humor but she also knows how to be a friend. I don’t have many friends that fall outside of a +/- 10 year age difference, and Bekah falls right on that cusp…but I wouldn’t trade her for nothin’ (except maybe a lifetime supply of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese). She can get me riled up or she can bring me down from elevated blood pressure. Did I mention Bekah also drives a Versa? Same color and everything.
• @tgrossner: Tim and I work together…sort of. It’s a big place but we would have never begun a friendship if it weren’t for Facebook. As some people do, we befriended each other based on the fact that we both were employed by the same company. Tim reached out his hand though and we quickly became what I deem best friends after going to a Mother Grove concert. He has and will for years to come, be a staple of my life with his relentless acts of kindness. His family is top notch!
• @tojosan & @nanna_j: Todd and his wife Sharon are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet in St. Louis. Todd’s commitment to the social media scene is unparalleled. I have always felt nothing but honesty and respect from Todd. Sharon is an absolute pleasure to talk to. Their happiness is clearly visible when they walk into a room and it intoxicates everyone. I love that even with Todd’s local fame on this scene, when I’m having a bad day, he & Sharon have time for me….and that makes me feel special knowing I have friends like them.

What does social media do for you? Does it provide an outlet for your emotions? Do you get to meet new & interesting friends? Are you promoting your business? What ever it is, I hope you’re happy. And remember, you’ll reap from social media only that which you sowed.