Shyness means feeling a little scared when there are people around, especially if people are strangers. It is something that can happen to all of us, although it happens to some of us very often and they feel uncomfortable when they are with people they do not trust or in large groups. Let’s discover how to overcome shyness at work and personal life.
“Timidity is a condition alien to the heart, a category, a dimension that leads to loneliness.”
But you have to be aware of something important: being shy does not have to involve any problem or illness, nor does it imply social phobia or anything like that. Many shy people want to be able to overcome that shyness.
How to overcome shyness?
That ‘s what we’re going to talk about here, how to overcome shyness in five easy steps. It takes the strength of will, perseverance and, above all, not be overcome by discouragement. Sooner or later, that shyness will be mastered.
Focus outward
Timidity causes self-absorption. Timid people often feel that they have nothing to say because they do not have something incredible to tell or they can not be the center of the party.
To overcome shyness, it is necessary to get rid of this thought in oneself, forget about “I can not” and focus on what is happening outside. The best conversationalist is not always the one who speaks the most, but the one who listens best and asks the right questions.
Are you embarrassed to talk? Well, let others speak! Start a topic that is current or related to the moment, or simply give the other the opportunity to talk about yourself.
“The most frequent cause of shyness is an excessive opinion of our importance.”
Prepare what you are going to say or ask
It is not easy to start a conversation or improvise a question. If you usually feel those moments of shyness always carry an ace-or several in the sleeve. In what you take practice to start a conversation, prepare some questions or conversation topics.
Remembering what people have said on previous occasions also helps you relate to people you have already seen. It is a good way to take the first step to overcome shyness.
Send the right signals
But overcoming shyness, it’s not just talking. Shy people are often seen as hostile and distant people, and even inaccessible. That is a matter of attitude.
Did you know that, according to a study from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, there is an 86% chance that a stranger will start a conversation with you if you smile at him? As simple as that, smile and let yourself go, you’ll see that everything is much simpler than you thought.
“It’s easier to get what you want with a smile than with the tip of the sword.”
Help others overcome shyness
This, which may seem silly, is not at all. But, how are you going to teach another to overcome something that you are not capable of facing? From the outside, it is much easier to observe what happens and find a wider point of view.
Helping another gives us the opportunity to get out of that reverie we were talking about at the beginning and discover that it is easier than it seems. Without wanting to, it is easy for us to find ourselves doing what we were talking about and that we were not able to apply due to lack of naturalness or conviction.
Learn to manage anxiety
Shyness is a type of social anxiety. Relax and learn to trust yourself is essential to handle the situation effectively.
You can try different relaxation techniques until you find one that is easy for you to put into practice. They can be breathing techniques, visualization or repetition of positive thoughts. It is also effective to practice sport.
