8 Ways to Overcome Shyness

According to the California Institute of Technology, nearly 50 percent say they feel shy and about 80 percent report of past feelings of shyness. Despite the prevalence, it is possible to cure shyness with set strategies, say psychological experts. Knowing how to overcome shyness helps you take positive action and increase your chances of opportunities for advancement in your personal and professional pursuits.

Be Aware

• Shed your belief that shyness is incurable because it's a hereditary trait. Heredity is a factor in shyness, but it does not mean that your shyness is there to stay with you as long you live. It only means that you are more susceptible to develop the characteristic than others, says Jonathan Cheek, professor of personality psychology at Massachusetts' Wellesley College. It is possible to battle your shyness, say psychological experts Bernardo Carducci and Jonathan Cheek.

Break your Safety Shell

• It is normal for shy people to limit themselves to few friends and fewer social interactions. They limit their social interactions to these accustomed few and start feeling highly uncomfortable when put in new social situations; they often find a way to escape from this unfamiliarity. To overcome shyness, it is important to take the courageous step of coming out of this safety cocoon and face people. Attend social occasions more, meet new people and form new friends.

Take it Slow

• Take your efforts to overcome shyness step-by-step instead of attempting too much at once. Jonathan Creek gives this example to drive the point home: A shy guy who is interested in a female coworker and likes to go on a date with her should first develop a rapport with the girl. He suggests doing this by talking to the girl about work-related matters first and gradually moving on to talk about personal things over time. It helps if the shy guy rehearses what he is going to say to the girl, with a close friend.

Be Prepared

• If a social gathering for business or pleasure is due next week, prepare yourself for it the week before itself. Watch the news for an update on latest events or keep in touch with current developments in your profession. Prepare your body language; practice to walk with your head up and shoulders straight with an affable smile on your face.

Stick to Rules

• When at a gathering, talk to people looking into their eyes without straying sideways, a gesture that communicates your respect and attentiveness toward them. Break the initial awkwardness when meeting a new person by talking just about anything such as the weather or the ambience around you. Follow it up with introducing each other. As the conversation opens up, find out if you've anything common with the other people and talk about those subjects. Keep your conversations neutral without getting judgmental. Move on to other people after a few minutes with a parting comment to rejoin later or ending with a possibility of future contact. Close your eyes and take deep calming breaths if you find yourself getting anxious amidst the crowd.

Develop A Positive Attitude

• Learn to feel good about yourself. Analyze your strengths and talents and write them down; appreciate and respect your strengths. Indulge in activities you love. Say to yourself repeatedly that you're going to overcome your shyness and lead a happy life instead of wallowing in negative thoughts.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

• Release your inner anxiety with a daily dose of exercise or yoga . Jonathan Cheek talks about visualization technique as a method of relaxation and better coping with social situations; in this technique the individual imagines himself in a social situation and practices calming down himself with deep breathing while virtually being in the situation.

Seek Expert Help

• Approach a psychiatrist or counselor if you feel you're not able to help yourself much. Mental health practitioners use medications or strategies such as behavior identification and cognitive therapy to help the shy. These strategies focus on encouraging positive behaviors and thoughts that facilitate increased social interactions.