In a way, freelancing is perfect for introverts. I don’t have to waste energy being around people when I’m working from home, typing up articles and social posts while petting my cat. I don’t have to worry about being distracted from an editing job by someone on the phone or clicking their pen.

But there are some ways that freelancing doesn’t suit the introverted life.

To be a freelancer is to constantly be marketing yourself and networking with people when you aren’t actively working. It also means a lot of meetings and phone calls with strangers, which I’m pretty thoroughly convinced that no one really likes.

I’ve learned to grow comfortable in this role. Here are some of my tips for those with limited social energy (like myself).

Fake it until you make it.

Your first networking event, you’re going to be terrified. You’ll probably mess something up. (I once tripped and fell in front of a fairly large group at one of these things. It happens.)

And through it all you will have to smile and pretend like you aren’t dreaming of the moment that you can get back into pajamas.

There is hope, though — in cases like these, pretending that you’re comfortable is one of the first steps to actually being comfortable. It’s still pretty nervewracking the first few times you put yourself out there, but the longer you do it, the easier it becomes!

Be honest with yourself.

Sometimes, I like to tell myself that a phone call will only take fifteen minutes. I know that this isn’t true, because I have to spend at least ten of those minutes mentally preparing myself. This winds up throwing my whole schedule off.

Your little quirks and limitations might be different, but you should still be honest with yourself about them. That way, you can account for them and make sure that you’re still getting everything done!

Reward good behavior.

When you do something you’re proud of — you go to that networking event even when you’re tired, you make a phone call you’ve been dreading, whatever — congratulate yourself and give yourself a reward.

It doesn’t have to be something expensive, either — Slurpees are my go-to, but you could even do something as simple as letting yourself watch an episode of television you’ve been wanting to see.

But rewarding yourself makes doing the more extroverted parts of your job more fun! And it makes it much easier to continue in the future.