I am shy. I am quiet. I would much rather listen than speak. Despite all this, I work with the public every day at my job.

I have always been the quiet one every since I can remember. In school I had a few friends, but I didn't talk to many people. I focused on working, not socializing. I went into freshman year of high school engulfed in a shell. I was so quiet and literally only talked to a few people who I had grown up with and I considered friends. By the end of the year, I was doing a little bit better and had done some public speaking through FFA as well as being in drama club productions.

I soon realized I was great at acting, but not in the traditional way. I could hold a pointless conversation with a stranger and have no problem with it. But nevertheless, that didn't mean I had become any less quiet or introverted.

When I turned 16, I decided to get a job. In the small town I grew up in, there weren't very many work options close by. I was pretty much forced to work with the public. I remember being scared to meet my new coworkers and nervous about dealing with a rude customer. You see, I have very strong opinions, and I hate when customers act like idiots and are rude for no reason. I was more afraid of saying something I shouldn't than them actually getting mad at me.

I've been working in the service industry for almost five years now, and I have learned a lot about myself. I learned that I still get nervous when talking to people and that's okay. Most customers don't even notice if I just smile and nod at whatever they're saying. I learned that there are definitely some terrible and rude people in the world, but one extremely nice person can make a whole day of mean people seem not so bad. I learned that you can get to know someone pretty well by only having about two minutes of conversation each day. The regulars that I see all the time always make my day.

I learned that if you seem like you're trying, any mistake you make will be a little more forgivable in the eyes of a customer. The one thing I still worry about a lot is telling customers their total. There are some numbers that, while reading, I switch around. I always feel bad when I have to correct myself on their total, but usually the customer doesn't even notice.

The biggest thing I've learned being an introvert working in customer service, is that most of my insecurities are all in my head. If I just relax and try to enjoy myself and have a good day, it is usually easier to talk to customers. If I'm smiling, people will strike up a little conversation. I don't need to be afraid of who I am or afraid that others will judge me for not holding a full blown conversation with them as I'm taking their order. It's just not who I am. As long as I'm friendly and am doing my job to the best of my ability, that is enough.

So, for anyone who is introverted and struggling to decide if working with the public is the right thing for you, I encourage you to try it. I think that places like fast food restaurants are ideal because your interactions with customers are usually short. Lengthy, one-on-one conversations like you get being a waitress are a bit more daunting. Just try it for a while. It doesn't get easier overnight, but I promise it will eventually. I'm still the quiet, shy friend, but when I need to, I can make my voice heard. I credit all this to working at a place where I have to step outside my comfort zone.