The 3 Things that Helped Me Go from Painfully Shy to Confident

“Get out of your comfort zone” isn’t one of them.

I’ve gone from soiling my pants at the prospect of spelling out my name to being able to easily converse with any stranger.

As a skinny nerdy guy who stuttered and sucked at sports in middle school, I was naturally the favorite prey of bullies. I used to avoid conversations, kept a low profile, and resided in the library.

Every time I look back, I am surprised at just how much I’ve changed and it didn’t require any drastic “Get out of your comfort zone” stuff either — all it took was three simple things and some time.

And if someone as painfully shy as my past self could do it, then anyone can do it.

Surround Yourself with The Right People

My middle-school batchmates were a horrid lot — hanging out with thugs, devouring cigarettes, and making each other miserable in the name of humor was their daily routine.

The only time I had lashed back at their ring leader (a.k.a my main bully), I had walked back with a torn collar, bruises, and a broken bottle.

My prominent stutter was also thanks to my bullies. By jeering at the slightest stammering, they increased…