Are you sick of feeling awkward and shy in social situations? Don’t worry it happens to the best of us. It can be downright overwhelming to be in a crowded room full of strangers, (or even friends), and be asked to give your opinion on something. This gets even worse when you are the center of attention for one reason or another.
Feeling shy is a natural part of life. We all have times when we just simply feel out of place. There is nothing wrong with being shy, and it doesn't make you rude or a bad person. But if your shyness gets to the point where it causes you major anxiety then it might be time for you to try to overcome your social shyness.
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to do this, and if you start to use these simple tricks you will quickly find yourself feeling less stressed and more at ease during your next social gathering.
1.Laugh It Up
There is just something unique about laughter. It isn't just good for the soul it is also contagious. When one person laughs, everyone laughs – it is only natural. Laughter is freeing, it makes you feel good, and more importantly it is physically good for the body. When you are at your next social outing don't be afraid to laugh when you find something funny, chances are others will soon follow your lead.
2.Give Yourself a Time Limit – Stay the Whole Time
Instead of getting to the event and spending your evening counting down until it should all be over, set yourself a time limit before you get there. Decide how many hours you are going to stay, figure out what you are going to say to the host when you leave, and think about how you can effectively spend whatever time you are going to spend at the event. You want to make sure that you get to say hello to everyone that you want to see and you want to give yourself enough time to make small talk. Also, you definitely don't want to stay for less than one or two hours because you don't want your host to feel slighted by your quick exit. Still though, if you are able to set a time limit of how long you will be at the event then you will be able to go through the event knowing that you only have a certain amount of time that you have to push yourself to be sociable.
3.Be Okay With Silence
So many times we feel like when things are quiet there is something wrong, this is especially true when we are dealing with social gatherings. But it is okay to have silence. It is also okay to be the quiet one at the party, and it is okay not to have much to say. Remember, there is a big difference between being quiet and being rude. As long as you are polite, you smile, and you respond with interest when people talk to you, they won't think anything negative about you if you are quiet.
Following these simple tips will help you to start to overcome your social shyness. If you feel heavy anxiety in social situations or if you just simply feel like you cannot get any further in 'breaking out of your shell' you may want to consider talking to a counselor.