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Are you timid but you wish you could speak out more ? Do you often feel overlooked in groups and want to make your voice heard? Is your participation grade in class suffering because of your shyness? It's definitely not your fault that you were born a bit shyer than the average person, but it's something that you can overcome with effort. With a fresh mindset and a little bit of acting, you too can be confident and assertive when interacting with others .
Steps
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Expert Advice
To feel more confident when you're around others:
- Breathe deeply.
- Make eye contact when you're talking to people.
- Smile.
- Pay attention to your posture—stand tall with your shoulders back.
- Think of conversation as a chance to connect, rather than a performance.
- Be curious. Ask questions, listen actively to the person's answers, and comment on those answers.
- Brush up on current affairs or practice telling interesting stories about yourself, like trips you've been on or books you've read.
From Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I stop being shy and insecure?Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program.Try meditating each day to ground yourself. As you meditate, imagine you are a big tree, extending your roots down into the earth. This helps calm your nervous system, and it allows you to listen deeply to yourself.
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QuestionHow can I not to be shy when talking to a girl?Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.Adjust your state of mind. Approach a girl as if she is a friend and someone you already know instead of someone to be nervous around.
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QuestionWhy would a person be shy?Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.There are many causes of shyness including negative relationship experiences, social anxiety, or low self-esteem.
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References
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=ETzciRvm5osC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=don%27t+expect+perfection+shy&source=bl&ots=cfJCq8ytOs&sig=m7CMH4VyPekTbMc92Vh4cqicJFs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xAw3VYmjMYqWyQSd04CgBg&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=don't%20expect%20perfection%20shy&f=false
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201501/6-ways-get-more-comfortable-others-and-yourself
- ↑ http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/10-tips-for-overcoming-shyness
- ↑ http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/10-tips-for-overcoming-shyness
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-and-sensibility/201212/50-ways-overcome-shyness-and-anxiety-social-gatherings
- ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/03/living/how-to-overcome-shyness-relate-real-simple/
- ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/03/living/how-to-overcome-shyness-relate-real-simple/
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-and-sensibility/201212/50-ways-overcome-shyness-and-anxiety-social-gatherings
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/fashion/amy-cuddy-takes-a-stand-TED-talk.html?_r=0
- ↑ http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en
- ↑ http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
About This Article
Article Summary
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To go from shy to confident, practice interacting with strangers, even if it's a little awkward at first, so you can get better at starting conversations. Also, when conversing with others, act confident even if you don't feel that way at first since acting bolder will help you feel that way over time. When you do go out to a party or meeting, do something you enjoy right before the event, like listening to music or reading a book, to help you relax. Once you’re out, start small by making eye contact during conversations. To learn how to adopt power poses to make you feel more confident, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I haven't yet broken my shell of shyness, but I know that this article will help me, since it is so intricate. I'm confident that I can go from a shy introvert to a more social introvert. Usually I talk to barely anyone because I just don't participate enough in social interactions. (Or at least I feel inadequate about my social performance in general.) So soon, I hope to be better at all aspects of social interaction." ..." more
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"I haven't yet broken my shell of shyness, but I know that this article will help me, since it is so intricate. I'm confident that I can go from a shy introvert to a more social introvert. Usually I talk to barely anyone because I just don't participate enough in social interactions. (Or at least I feel inadequate about my social performance in general.) So soon, I hope to be better at all aspects of social interaction."
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"I am a very shy person, but I've always really wanted to be an actress. I see plays and musicals a lot, and it always seemed so fun to me. I was really scared to go into acting class, though. I was worried that people wouldn't think I was creative enough, that my voice sounded weird or that I mumbled too much. I then read this article and a few others and tried a lot of the things they said. Needless to say, they helped. I was still a bit worried when I first walked into the class."
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"This article helped me because I have been shy at school my whole life. Although I understand the work and get good grades, I thought I should challenge myself to participate in work and make new friends. I wanted to get advice from some websites and thought it would a good idea to search on wikiHow. I love how you can basically search any question and have it answered! Hopefully this article helps me this year when I go into 7th grade. Thanks again, wikiHow!"
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"I'm really shy, as in REALLY SHY. So shy, that if someone were to come over and take my phone, I would not have the courage to ask for it back. The tip about posture helped me the most. After fixing my posture, I looked more confident and felt it too."
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"Before I used to not be talkative in lessons and always overthink my shyness, but these past few weeks I've been interacting a lot in lessons and talking a lot with others. This article helped show me that you can change from being shy to confident."
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