About Me — Katy Morin

From Silence to Strength: How I Overcame Social Anxiety and Found My Voice

I have always been very shy and reserved since I was very young. I’ve often been told: Why don’t you talk? Say something! It’s okay if you have anything to say; Say whatever comes to your mind! I do not hear anything! Speak louder! It did not improve with time.

When I was a little girl, I was not too fond of attention, so I talked as little as possible. I thought I was smart and would draw attention away from me, but it had the opposite effect. It got me more attention than I could handle. I could hear people talking behind my back. ”What’s wrong with her? Why isn’t she talking?” “I went to talk to her, but she barely answered my questions; she’s so rude.”

I would carry my silence like a precious package in my heart, making me feel so alone. When I was a teenager, I made a point of trying to answer questions more often. It did not make the difference I expected: people still thought I was shy and reserved. I wanted to make a change but it took work.

Because of my social anxiety, I thought I would never go far. Social anxiety was holding me back from experiencing so much in my life but I was used to it. Until it became a problem at work. I decided I needed to change. I made the first step: I joined a…