Being shy can sometimes feel like a heavy burden. In some social situations, you can feel crippled by fear of having to talk to somebody else. But there are little things you can do, that can make your life happier. Practising these confidence tips for shy people, over time, can help you gain more confidence. Have a go…you have nothing to lose!
6 Confidence Tips For Shy People
Act Confident
You might not feel it, but you can act it 🙂 I am lucky as I have always been a confident experience. Through life experiences, I have had my confidence knocked down to rock bottom. But I have always managed to build it back up. It is not easy…but it is possible!
Outside you can show an air of confidence and you will notice how others react to you. This is a knock-on effect and will encourage you to try it more. It does not matter if you feel nervous inside when you do this, this is all part of the learning process. Learning by doing. Over time you will find it will become a little easier. Do not set yourself unrealistic goals. Baby steps are netter than none at all.
Body Language
The way you use your body, when interacting with other, is a form of non-verbal communication. There are things that people can tell about you, by looking at your body language. Shy people generally are unable to make eye contact with other people and may even lower their head. Some may cross their arms, creating a safe barrier for themselves.
The first step to change this type of behaviour, is to realise that you are not the only person. Millions of people feel exactly the same way. It is not always easy to interact with people face-to-face. You have thousands of mixed thoughts going through your head at the same time.
The second step is to set yourself a “mission”. The next time you meet somebody you do not know, you will look into their eyes. Make sure you hold their eye contact when you are talking to them. You will see that they will hold your look with their eyes, whilst they are talking to you. You are connecting with each other.
The third step is to be proud of yourself, that you have given it a go. Keep practicing and it will become easier each time.
Do Something New
Because you are shy, you find that starting something new, can be very daunting. It involves meeting new people. You have to realise that this is the same for everybody. Even if you are confident or not, meeting people for the first time can be a little scary. The trick is to view it as an adventure. Starting something new gives you access to great opportunities. Learning something you have never done before, which you may love. You have the opportunity to make new friends, who have new ideas and can give you a fresh outlook on life. You could be bringing more fun into your life.
Interacting with others opens up so many possibilities. Go for it! Have that adventure and see where it takes you…
Practice With A Friend
Our friends are always willing to help us. Ask one to sit down with you and practice different conversations. Try different scenarios and ask your friend to pretend they have never met you. This is great practice for the real thing! 🙂
Ask your friend to check how confident you are when you are what is your body langugage showing? Did you maintain eye contact? If you both time, practice this as often as you can. You can also give your friend feedback on how it worked in “real life” and they can give you suggestions on how to improve for next time.
Confidence Tips for shy people – Ask Open Questions
You are already a little nervous before you have even started, so do not make it harder on yourself. It will be hard to have a free-flowing conversation, If you ask closed questions. A closed question, that requires a Yes or No answer.
When you ask questions, make sure that they are Open ones. If a question is Open, the person needs to respond in a sentence or more. e.g. “What is the funniest thing that happened to you this week?”
Confidence Tips for shy people – Smile
As it says above, if you smile, the world does smile with you. You might be shy, but the person you are speaking to could be as well. Whoever you meet, make sure you give them a smile. A smile can break the ice, it can put you both at ease when you are talking.
Smile right now, how do you feel? Pretty good, eh 🙂
Make this one of your priorities to smile more to people and see how the world reacts.
Need some more inspiration? Check out these posts
https://www.theleslielink.com/5-tips-to-help-you-make-a-confident-speech/Â Â
https://www.theleslielink.com/5-confidence-tips-for-interviews/
Confidence Tips for shy people
Listen to Cat Stevens song, “Don’t Be Shy”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDUuBfpbwOs
Sally Leslie is a motivational coach and optimist. She helps freelancers and entrepreneurs create balance in their lives and work towards their personal and professional goals. Sally is also a B2B freelance writer for entrepreneurs, SMEs, and startups. A lover of plants, freedom, and football!
