What holds you back the most? – Shyness

The big day has arrived in which I will reveal how to overcome shyness. Whoever read the previous post knows how I overcame my complexions. Today we will talk about shyness, which holds back many women.

I have never liked being the center of attention, not even when I was a child. I always preferred to listen rather than speak. I am not sure why I was that way but I never saw it as a problem. At home everything was fine and I also had friends so it was not a drastic case.

My sister was the chatterbox of the family, there for there were no worries, my shyness didn’t disturb anyone, specially because at home I was super comfortable and when we were among friends my sister filled the room with her presence, that I didn’t need to come out of my cocoon, I felt comfortable there. I must have subconsciously thought: “she’s my representative, she’s outgoing, funny, she makes people laugh, I will remain here quietly and that’s it”.

At school I was the same way, I was the listener and everyone else were the talkers. However, at a certain point this shyness began to hold me back, situations that I lived and realized that due to my shyness I lost opportunities. I wouldn’t move forward and I began to be bothered by that, but I didn’t know how to overcome it.

After I began to serve God, I would evangelize and counsel the congregants of the church with no problem, but when I was in a group, in an assistance meeting and later in the pastors meeting, it would appear, the importunate shyness. Does that tell you anything? My heart would pound faster and faster, I would get a cold stomach, my voice would shake, my cheeks would turn red, friends that would irritate me.

As you could imagine, this held me back, and I began to see this as a problem, I didn’t like being that way. How was God suppose to use me if I was being held back by shyness and many times it would stop me from acting.

I needed to do something about this matter! I began to pray for this matter, I would pray a lot, but I wouldn’t see big changes, until finally I came to a solution: overcoming shyness doesn’t depend in prayer but in action. I had to over come it myself, God was with me, but I need to act against it, I need to go against my way of being, be different, challenge myself.

Today I can say it is a phase overcome, I am not saying that I am a super outgoing person, but that shyness no longer prevents me from acting, it doesn’t stop me from doing anything, it is no longer a problem for me.

Therefore my friends, out of my own experience I tell you, do you want to overcome shyness? Act differently, take initiatives, and never say, “I am not capable or I can’t do it”, show your faith, which is overcoming the challenges. You should pray, but don’t forget to take action, that way you will not loose opportunities. The difference isn’t in whether you are shy or not but whether you overcome shyness in every situation.

Perhaps you thought I would give you a magical formula of how to overcome shyness, isn’t it so? Something much easier that wouldn’t require much effort or require you to step out of your comfort zone. That would have been very good, but it doesn’t exist, you need to take action.

Tell me about your experience and what it is you will do regarding this matter! Next Wednesday we will talk about insecurities.

My sister Catia and I: