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Overcoming Shyness And Social Phobia Opens Up The World To You

By Operation-Meditation

If you’re shy, you will feel nervous and apprehensive whenever you have to be around other people. Most children are shy at some stage in their development, and most outgrow it at some point, but for other people, shyness becomes a way of life that limits their enjoyment. Although some people are shy partly because of their genetic background, life experiences probably contribute more to this than anything else. Some people are so bashful that they actually feel nauseated or will begin to sweat if they are around others. If shyness becomes more severe, it can develop into social phobia. If you are shy or have social phobia, you will probably have at least one of these three characteristics:

• You will tend to dwell upon yourself.
• Your view of yourself will be negative.
• You will worry about what could go wrong before anything actually has.

Social phobia differs from shyness in that it involves a fear of appearing stupid or otherwise socially inept in front of other people. The difference between what might be considered ‘normal shyness’ and social phobia is that those suffering from social phobia will actually restrict their activities in order not to come into contact with other people. If you suffer from social phobia, you will also angst over an upcoming meeting or even a dentist’s visit for weeks beforehand.

Learning To Enjoy Life

Although some might consider introverts to be suffering from shyness and social phobia, the reverse is actually true – introverts enjoy being by themselves. Those who are afflicted with social phobia and/or shyness actually want to take part in events and gatherings, but are unable to do so comfortably.

If you have found that your enjoyment of life is being ruined by your shyness and fear of being around other people because you believe they will have a harsh, unkind opinion of you, it’s time you turned your life around. Others have faced these problems, too, and have been able to free themselves from these conditions to find out how enjoyable existence can be. There are a number of ways to deal with shyness and social phobia, and if one doesn’t work out for you, don’t give up, just try another.

• Meditation is probably one of the most effective ways to deal with shyness and social phobia. If you are suffering from either of these conditions, you will certainly be aware of how tense and nervous you are most of the time. Even going into a store can be an ordeal. Meditation is excellent at helping you learn how to relax. Meditation helps you clear your mind of anxieties and relaxes your muscles. It’s easy to learn and you can take it with you wherever you go. When facing a situation that you fear will make you anxious, all you need to do is repeat your chosen word or phrase that is your key to relaxation, and you’ll find that you will be able to handle whatever comes without worry.

• Self-hypnosis is another good, medication-free way to handle shyness. Although you will definitely relax when practicing self-hypnosis, unlike meditation you will be giving yourself direct instructions. As you enter an altered state, your mind will be receptive to what you want to do, and your waking self will feel more confident and less anxious.

• Being yourself and not worrying about what others may think about you is a good way to conquer these limiting conditions. Very often, people are shy because they fear that they will not live up to the expectations of others. Stop and think about all the good things about yourself – you’re probably a pretty decent person. Start living for yourself, and you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to interact with others. Face it that some people just aren’t going to like you, and it doesn’t matter, either. Once you stop trying to please others (most of whom are not even thinking about you one way or another), you’ll find that you’ve gone a long way to conquering your shyness and social phobia.

There is no reason to let shyness and social phobia keep you on a leash. There are a number of natural, healthy techniques that can help you overcome these problems and get the enjoyment you deserve out of life.

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