Learning webdev but am viciously shy

I am almost done with my responsive web design projects but I am seeing one huge hurdle in my path to improving at a pace that I feel I should be after all the time I have put into trying to learn. I am too damn shy to thrust myself into a community online or otherwise. Its really damn silly because I constantly work with people on a direct level in my day job but when it comes to putting myself out there and showing who I am as a person I get way too scared. I can go on for hours about what I think it might be, but what I should be doing is figuring out a way to get over this. I have missed so many opportunites because of this and I am getting sick of it. Now that things are starting to make sense to me and javascript isn’t looking like alien mumbojumbo I am going to change that. I want to learn along side people and be a part of something. I know I can do that if I just put myself out there, so i guess this is me putting myself out there.

Thanks if you took the time to read this. Seems pretty cathartic.

hope i didnt break any posting rules im still new to this.

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I’m the same way. But I just started to reply to some of the easier questions that I was confident in.

I copy the code people post & paste into the lesson. Then I find the error and give hints to move them along.

You won’t always be right and sometimes someone else will reply with a better/cleaner way to solve the problem.

But that is the goal. Everyone learns in the end. If it passes the challenges, it isn’t wrong. (and when others correct your posts, you learn too!)

Happy Coding!

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I felt very similarly when I was at the beginning of my learning journey too. I was afraid of participating in this forum because I was so new to everything. But it’s so welcoming and positive, that I quickly got over those feelings. You are welcome here. :slight_smile:

Also there are no dumb questions, and someone should be able to help answer anything here.

on the internet nobody knows you're a dog

Something that might actually help: maybe dip your toe into the community by answering beginner questions. There are plenty of people who come here every day that need some quick help that you can offer. Often, it can be less intimidating to ask a question when you have experience being the one who answers them.

Yeah, because I’m mister popularity and I was the prom queen and everybody loves me… not.

Its a constant topic of conversation on the various boards and forums and chats and groups, so much so that we have a name for it: “Impostor syndrome”.

I am very solid in my programming chops. Not arrogant or bragging, I’ve been at this a while, and I am very comfortable with what I know. And still, to this day, I am waiting for someone to pull back the curtain and reveal me as a fake. I fully expect that it will happen. I am nervous about posting anything on the various boards and forums, because I fully expect that someone better or smarter or cooler or cleverer will come along and make me feel… three.

But that’s not the case. Particularly here, where the various folks involved in FCC are here for the same reason you are: to advance our own knowledge, to push the boundaries of the community knowledge, and to (for some of us) get a job doing this thing! Nearly everyone on this board is here to help and support you, because we have all been there.

It doesn’t always feel particularly helpful or supportive, and here’s why: being challenged, being pushed out of our comfort zones, being made to re-examine our thoughts is hard. Harder than programming.

You are becoming the coder (and the person) you have chosen to make yourself. Your pace, your level, your whatever… that’s not in competition with others. Are you a better coder today than you were a week ago? Cool! WIN!

There will be others who disagree with me, and they’re not wrong: our skills are in direct competition with others, as there are only so many jobs and the amazing awesomeness of my mad coder skillz are gonna get me the job! And that’s not wrong, but it’s not complete. Having the coding skills will help. But in every interview, in every conversation with employers, in every top-level meeting I’ve sat on, the takeaway is… I become better by helping better others.

Cooperation in the workplace carries one farther than competition. And that… requires overcoming shyness. Believe in yourself - we believe in you! :wink:

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Thanks everyone for the replies. I tend to over think what I am doing to the point where I scare myself out of so many things. I am pretty good at speaking to people at work since I work directly with people and even was praised for my ability to work with ppl by my boss (review day, i hate review day even when I know its going to be good). I know that I just need to jump in and learn the water if fine on my own. Appreciate all the words from everyone! I will def be sticking around and being more active.

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