Shyness and Success
Being shy isn’t an act or a choice, it is real and involuntary. It is also pretty impactful, contradictory to the personification of something small and quiet, mild and timorous. It is overwhelming to those who are shy, even if they seem underwhelming to the outside world.
But it’s not always entirely bad. Yes, it can have its disadvantages: when you’re shy you can feel hesitant to speak up, and you may feel weary of raising your hand even when you know you have the right answer.
But it doesn't have to be entirely crippling if you don’t allow it to. When you’re shy, it’s important to find that middle ground, that line between accepting total paralysis and completely changing yourself.
The first thing that you have to remember is that it’s ok. It’s ok to be shy and it’s ok to be you. When you do that, a new kind of power will take hold. There you will find a confidence in that self-realized acceptance, a confidence that could never come from a forced personality change.
The second thing that you have to realize is that you’re not alone. Everyone feels shy at one time or another, even the most confident person.
If someone says there’s something wrong with you for being shy, if they criticize you for being quiet, it generally stems from an insecurity of their own. Listen to the voices that raise you up by appreciating who you are. There is a beautiful confidence to be gained from that kind of a relationship.
The last big thing to consider is that there are advantages to being shy. Sometimes it’s the quietest, smallest, least flashy thing that gets noticed. You don’t have to be hard spoken to stand out. People will like you for being you. Once you realize this, the best confidence, the confidence that comes with being comfortable in your own skin- whether it be shy, loud, anxious, or thoughtful-will set in and set you up to reach your full potential and success level in life. When you feel accepted for being yourself, you stop being critical of things you can’t control. You recognize that those things are not bad: they’re ok, and they are even good because they are pieces of your personality. Once you let go of the unnecessary negativity, you open yourself up to unbounding possibilities for any success you can imagine, because you now have the confidence (even if it’s a quiet confidence) to know you can reach it.
