Shyness is a personality trait that can seriously impact our daily lives in society. This concept covers a wide range, from mild timidity to extreme fear of any interaction with people. How can we overcome shyness?
Shyness – psychological background
Shyness is a very broad term in psychology. Shy people are often perceived as introverts, although this is not entirely true. According to psychologists, shyness is a subconscious, often irrational fear of social interaction. It takes many forms – from reluctance to talk to other people to a panic fear of public speaking.
Excessive shyness – causes
It is a personality trait that usually accompanies us from early childhood. It is usually associated with low self-esteem. People who have few opinions avoid talking to others for fear of being laughed at. Low self-esteem also leads to the belief that your opinions or actions are unimportant or downright stupid, so you avoid them. A factor that can increase shyness is unpleasant experiences associated with ridicule or criticism.
Another cause of excessive shyness is paralyzing stress, which usually stems from traumatic past events. If you are afraid to speak in public and perform in front of a larger group of people, there is a good chance that you have been humiliated or criticized in a similar situation in the past.
How to overcome shyness?
The first step you need to take is self-acceptance, which increases your self-esteem. You will gain the conviction that not all of your actions or expressions end in ridicule. This will allow you to break the ice faster.
It is worth setting goals, for example, when going to dinner in company, set a limit of minimum interactions with other people. For example, “during this dinner, I will comment on the current topic five times” or “I will try to comment on each of the dishes served interestingly.” Setting easily achievable goals will help you overcome your fears.
How to overcome the fear of people?
Prepare a plan for the upcoming week. Set at least one task related to interacting with people for each day. The initial goals should be simple, such as “ask a stranger for the time.” Over time, however, the tasks should become increasingly difficult. By using the method of small steps, you can overcome your limitations and fears every day, eventually becoming a confident and outgoing person.
How to overcome shyness?
Shyness is a character trait that can be fully or partially suppressed depending on its intensity. There is no universal way to overcome shyness. The most important thing is to practice small interactions with people every day. If you want to feel more confident before an important meeting or dinner with a larger group, you can prepare several universal conversation topics. These can be topics related to your work and interests, but also more general ones, such as the current situation in the world, sports, music or movies. Society values people with interesting and extraordinary opinions, so it is worth preparing such an emergency list and using it as needed.
Overcoming shyness is a challenging task. Be patient and remember that “Rome was not built in a day.”