Overcome Shyness

Just because you may be shy does not necessarily mean you have a social anxiety disorder. Though, shyness can lead to social phobia. Here are a few tips for overcoming shyness:

Try to think of why it is you are shy. Are you worried how people will react to you, are you afraid of being judged or just don't feel comfortable around people? There is nothing wrong with being shy, but if you want to overcome shyness, then you are going to have to face some fears.

Facing your fears can be quite scary, but it all depends on the attitude you have. If you are tired of living in fear and truly want to overcome shyness, then you need to put yourself out there. Start out slow.

Invite a friend out to lunch or even to go watch a movie. Join a book club or other low key social group. If you are really shy you can start out joining an online forum about something you are interested in. Try to find like minded people and get into discussions about something you both have in common.

If you are going to overcome shyness, you need to take a leap of faith. If these ideas are terribly frightening to you, that's ok. Take your time; it's possible you could benefit from a self-help program or even a few sessions of therapy. Remember, there is nothing wrong with being shy. However, if you want to overcome shyness, then you are going to have to work at it.