Shyness or social anxiety is often seen as a disorder, when really it is nothing more than a personality trait. As a girl who was once considered the "shy girl " of her class, I know am uncovering the blanket that has been hiding all introverts. Let the softest voices be heard!
One of the greatest fears of a shy person is the fear that the whole world is constantly judging them in whatever they do or say. They often hold back their greatest ideas for fear of being ridiculed.
A wealth of knowledge remains untapped just because the world prefers to hear the bold and noisy ones and the ones who rush to the podium with the little knowledge and lots of words that they may have.
Today, it is considered a burden and embarrassment to have a child who is quiet and reserved. Even at school, children are not only judged by their knowledge on issues, but mainly on their ability to communicate them with much fanfare.
Yet in some parts of Europe and Asia, the quieter ones are more respected by others and are considered to be wise, good-cultured and well-behaved.
Why is it, then, that in North America, those who make the most noise are accepted more than those who make the least?
Are the old phrases such as" empty vessels make the most noise" and" still water run deep" no longer relevant?
Today, chat sites, texting devices and websites such as Facebook and Twitter are leading to an unconventional form of communicating. But communication is not an exchange of mere words and phrases.
Face-to face communication, expression and body language are totally absent in these forms of communication.
Is this causing more and more to shy away from person-to-person communication? Will all this lead to an increase in isolation and a shyer world?
"Stop being shy," " What's your problem?" and "Why can't you speak?" are the last three statements that a shy person would want to hear.
Another challenge that comes with being shy is having people say that your shyness is a flaw.
Eventually your self-esteem would go spiraling down. And that's exactly what happens to someone who is shy.
It takes years and tremendous effort to overcome shyness. But just a "hello" and a little it of encouragement could unlock the chains of shyness.
Did you know that some of the greatest people in the world were once terribly shy?
Legends such as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Bill Gates were shy. Their shyness, however, did not stop them from them from becoming the people we admire. There are a lot of admirable traits attached with shyness: Simplicity, diligence, and attentiveness are just a few out of the many.
It's ironic how we always aim to have a society with people who posses these traits. Yet when we come across these people they are seen as abnormal. It is said that the way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.
I must confess, I was once a shy girl and often said that I can do anything you want me to do so long as I don't have to speak.
Now that I have shared my thoughts through this blog, you tell me: "Should I be shy about being shy?"