How to Reach Out Without Feeling Like You’re Bothering Someone
Why You Should Reach Out (Even If It’s Been a While)
My Medium friends can read this story over there as well.
Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
"Will I bother people if I reach out?"
It’s one of the most common questions I get when people start networking.
And I get it.
That fear is real especially if you're introverted, or if it's been a while since you connected.
You wonder:
What if they’re annoyed?
What if they think I want something?
What if I’m bothering them?
Here’s what I want you to hear:
You are not bothering them.
In fact, when most people get a message that says, “Hey, it’s been a while; Just wanted to catch up,” they usually think two things:
“That was nice. Someone thought of me.”
“I’ve been meaning to reach out to them too. Glad they made the first move.”
We build up these stories in our heads where people are annoyed, frustrated, or overwhelmed by our message.
But more often than not, the truth is… they’re just busy.
And being busy doesn’t mean they’re not interested.
Maybe they saw your note and flagged it to reply later.
Maybe they meant to respond over the weekend and just forgot.
Maybe your message was the start of their week-long game of email ping-pong in their own brain. (I know I’ve done that.)
And still, every time I eventually respond to someone’s note, I’m glad they reached out.
I want to hear how they’re doing.
I appreciate the nudge.
So if you’ve got someone on your mind, someone you’ve:
worked with,
gone to school with,
collaborated with, or
just respect
Don’t overthink it.
Just send a quick note. Something simple like:
“Hey, it’s been a while. I was thinking about you and would love to catch up.”
That’s it.
No long preamble.
No apology.
No explanation.
And here’s the magic: Whether they reply right away or a few weeks from now, you’ve already succeeded.
Because you started reconnecting.
You planted a seed.
And connection takes root when you reach out.
Not when you wait for the perfect moment.
So this week, pick one person you’ve been meaning to reach out to.
Open up LinkedIn or your email.
Write a short, friendly message.
And send it.
Then move on with your day.
Don’t stress about the reply.
Don’t spiral if you don’t hear back right away.
Just keep going.
Because when you make reaching out a habit without overthinking it or expecting instant results you’ll build a network that actually supports you.
And no, you won’t be bothering anyone.
Quite the opposite.
You’ll probably make their day.
📌 Want more simple, introvert-friendly ways to grow your network?
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