I’m Coming Out! How to Effectively Overcome Shyness
Words by Katherine C. Eustaquio
Published in Total Fitness Magazine June 2011 issue
Shakespeare said that all the world’s a stage. Every play has good runs and bad runs, therefore, it’s normal to have those stage fright moments sometimes. Privacy issues and lifestyle choices aside, living with chronic shyness can crimp your style and cause you to miss one of the most amazing, fabulous, and once-in-a-lifetime chances you will ever come across. May it be a promotion, a relationship, or a shot a fame, here are some of the most effective techniques on getting rid of social phobia.
Tip #1: You are what you think.
You might have heard of the line “It’s all in the mind” countless times because it’s true. Start thinking positive and use your mind to instill the right, positive vibes. Wake up each day with the thought that you are smart/confident/beautiful. Say it out loud if you need to. The more you set your mind into thinking that you are this and that, your body will follow.
Tip #2: Break out of your comfort zone.
The first step into getting anywhere is to take the first step. Friends, family, and self-help books can only do so much. At the end of the day, it’s always going to be you who will need to break out of your shell. Learning new things might feel daunting at first but once you’re done with the first step, there’s no telling what you might find.
Tip #3: Stop overanalyzing.
They say that ignorance is bliss. Overanalyzing is a useless waste of time. Why didn’t that boy call? Why didn’t I get the job after the ten follow-up calls I made? Jotting down the reasons why things didn’t work could last you a lifetime. Stop with the maybes and what ifs and start planning to move forward. Just because you’re clueless, it doesn’t mean that you have to put your life on hold.
Tip#4: “Love the skin you’re in.”
This doesn’t translate that you need to bare more skin. It’s more about being comfortable with who you are and not what people expect you to be. Love your body, love your attitude, and love your company. Walk into a restaurant, ask for a table for one, and savor your meal in solitude. Learn to love your own company. After all, if you can’t stand your own company, who will?
Tip #5: You only live once.
Missed opportunities can haunt you all the way to your 60s. While you’re still young, give it all you got. Go and ask that guy out; make the best presentation of your working life; explore the most amazing places, and love as if you’ve never been hurt. Don’t let shyness hold you back from experiencing the most fulfilling things you can do in a lifetime. Live well.
