How to Overcome Shyness

Helpful Advice to Reduce Your Nervousness and Talk With Confidence

“The worst thing [about shyness] is the stupid hopefulness. Every new party, every new bunch of people, and I start thinking that maybe this is my chance. That I’m going to be normal this time. A new leaf. A fresh start. But then I find myself at the party, thinking, Oh, yeah. This again. So I stand on the edge of things, crossing my fingers, praying nobody will try to look me in the eye. And the good thing is, they usually don’t.”

– Carol Rifka Brunt

So, do you consider yourself shy?

Maybe you do. Maybe you’re not sure. And that’s understandable. Shyness can be pretty confusing!

Because shyness can feel different for every person it touches.

Maybe you fear talking to some people some of the time (but do well with others)
Maybe you CAN talk to new people, but you second-guess everything you say (and worry you’ll say something stupid)
Maybe you’ve learned to loathe meeting new people, but at the same time yearn to have more friends
Or maybe, you just feel others are better than you in general, and there’s no way you can compare

However you experience it, one thing is pretty clear: Shyness holds you back from getting the most from your life. So below are some articles I’ve put together to help you begin understanding what shyness is and how to overcome shyness.