Are you shy or introverted?
Most people would just answer me with ?aren?t they the same?? Well, most people are wrong. These two terms are often at times misunderstood by most people because they believe that once a person is shy, he/she is also an introvert. There are a lot of people I know who are introverts but are not necessarily shy. Shy people on the other hand, admit that they are not really introverts and believe that they can ?unlearn? shyness as they think they were not born with it.
A person is shy when:
- A person shows lack of confidence in social gatherings and they are afraid of what people might say about them.
- Everybody is shy to a certain extent (everybody feels nervous when talking to a large audience or even when talking to a person they want to impress). Shyness only becomes a problem when it affects your daily dealings with life. Sever cases of shyness prohibits people from mingling with other people notwithstanding its importance.
- Shyness can sometimes be dependent on the situation. While one person is not shy during one-on-one discussions, that same person might find it hard to mingle with a crowd.
- Introverts and extroverts can be shy. Worst cases are those of shy extroverts because they need a lot of social contact, yet they find it hard to do it at the same time.
- Shyness is usually the effect of various past experiences which means nobody is born shy. You can reduce your shyness level with the right techniques.
In order to combat shyness, one needs to gain more confidence. Some cases require a person to retrain their emotional responses to certain situations. You can do this by exposing yourself to the fear to the point where it lessens, reminding yourself of good thoughts including positive experiences, or visualizing the situation at hand and practising what you are going to say or do. It also helps if you can come up with a solid support group who help you achieve your goals one by one to build confidence.
A person is an introvert when:
- Extroversion and introversion are dispositional ?characters? on a scale that tells us how one person derives his energy.
- Introverts are energised by spending time alone while extroverts get their energy from socializing with his/her peers.
- An introvert cares more about his ideas, feelings, and impressions. They don't care much about what people say about them.
- Introverts don't necessarily hate socialising with big groups but they easily get tired of it. They would rather spend time with small groups or one-on-one situations.
Most people are extroverts by nature and the ongoing belief is very extrovert-centric (go out there and enjoy!). For introverts, he/she should realize that being an introvert is not a weakness or a flaw.
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When going out in large groups, conserve your energy and take breaks every now and then. You can also prepare your thoughts during meetings and discussions beforehand to make it easier.
Still finding it hard to work around your shyness and introversion? Think you need help? Why don't you let an expert help you become a better person contact us at?www.bluelabellife.com.au and simply mention Smart Healthy Women to receive your free coaching session consultation.
