IPFS News Link • Self-Help: Rational Living
Help for the Shy Guy: The Complete Guide to Overcoming Your Shyness
• artofmanliness.comIn last week's article, we outlined the faulty thinking that leads to self-consciousness and anxiety, which in turn fuels shy feelings and the desire to avoid socializing.
Today we're going to take the points we've made so far, and connect them with action steps grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy. Keep in mind that it took years for you to develop your faulty thinking about socializing, so it's going to take awhile to transform that habitual, familiar mindset. Don't expect overnight success. As you implement these tips into your life, slowly but surely you'll find yourself becoming less and less shy.
Build the Foundation
Start with the easy stuff: hygiene and dressing well.
Self-consciousness drives shyness, and the easiest way to start mitigating that self-consciousness is by practicing good hygiene and dressing well – no cognitive re-framing required. Shy folks have enough to feel anxious about without worrying if people are looking at their acne or a stain on their shirt. It's easy to dismiss such things as unimportant or superficial, but you'll truly be surprised by how much more confident you'll be when you feel like you look good. You'll carry yourself differently in your interactions and be more inclined to strike up conversations with those you meet. Check out our extensive style section to start feeling more confident in how you dress.