When aren’t distracted by the rumbling in your stomach, it’s time to move away from the food. Scan the room to see if you can find any wall flowers or, as Susan RoAne, calls them, “the white knuckle drinker!” You’ll recognize them easily because they clutch their glass so tightly that their knuckles indeed turn white!
Take a moment to put your needs aside long enough to reach out to someone who is shy or nervous. When you extend yourself to others who have a greater need than yours, it will truly set you apart from the majority of those who attend these functions. You will feel more involved and it will serve to make you have a true sense of purpose at the function.
I remember what it was like to feel like a nervous wallflower, and how easy it was to feel as if I’d made a huge mistake by attending a function. I was always grateful when people approached me at an event. Over the years I’ve approached several people who didn’t look comfortable being there and walked them around to introduce them to people I knew. They later said that if I hadn’t done that, they might never have attended another event.