How I Went From Very Shy to Less Shy

1. Do something you never thought you'd do.

In another words, face your fears. When I was in high school, I was very shy, have a very low self-esteem, and I didn't want people to know me. Even the teachers didn't realize I was in their classes. I was cool with it. You know, in my own little world. Until I realized that I was invisible and no one acknowledged my existence. It was hard for me to get any offers to universities because I was too shy for interviews.

So, I faced my fears and decided to take Diploma in Communication and Media Studies. It's a course where the students are very outgoing, confident, friendly, loud, etc. At first, it was scary. The thought of doing presentations in front everyone killed me. But hey, I made it! Graduated with 3.6 CGPA. Not trying to brag but choosing something different from my path really did change me and made me more confident. And I know you can do it too!

2. Stop comparing yourself.

I started gaining confidence the moment I stop comparing myself to others. I used to look at the most popular girl in my class and said to myself, "You can never be that confident. I mean look at her, she can laugh with the boys, making jokes during presentations, and everyone basically knows her. That's it. You're done." And then I compare myself to the most intelligent girl, and then to that beautiful girl outside my classroom, and the list never ends.

Then I thought "Why am I wasting my time looking at other people's strength? Am I not important?" So I stopped looking at others and started focusing on myself. I learned to accept my weaknesses and find my strengths. Now I'm so much better, happier, and less shy because I've learnt to embrace whatever I have in me.

3. Learn new skills

Learn a new language, for example. When I graduated high school, my parents sent me to Alliance Francaise to learn french. Of course at first I'm scared to go alone, I'm so shy, yada yada. But then, it gave me the opportunity to get to know new people and increase my social skill. I met a few good friends and I became less shy in class because I am so good in french. Lol

Now, I'm thinking of learning how to bake or sew. You will not only meet new people but you will also increase your confidence because you will learn new things. Not everyone can bake, sew, or speak french, right? In a way, it will make you feel more confident about yourself. Give it a try. You'll have fun. Trust me.

So, that is basically how I become less shy. How about you?