This shedding my shyness thing is turning out to be really interesting. Today I had a chance to shoot some pictures of people cooling off at a swimming hole nearby for the newspaper. It was really fun because I got to hop around on the rocks and talk to several different people.
A little further down I saw a group of four young guys hanging out with a guitar nearby. I thought that having a picture of a guy playing the guitar by the cascades would probably be really cool.
In the past, several things would have stopped me from approaching them. It was a group of all guys who were clearly involved in their own thing. I wouldn’t want to step into the middle of that and interrupt what they were doing. There’s some old thought there about them thinking that I was just a silly girl who was getting in their way and they’d laugh at me. They were also in a sort of secluded area and rolling and smoking something (which they assured me was tobacco 🙂 ) and the thought crossed my mind that they’d be angry at me for horning in on their territory.
But I was motivated by the thought of a good picture, so I put on my big girl panties and approached them. I asked which one had the guitar. He looked up and smiled and when I asked if I could take his picture playing the guitar, he was thrilled! One more strike against the stories that I tell myself. He wasn’t annoyed at all – he was psyched!
When I got back to the office, I gave the pictures to my editor to look at. A few minutes later I heard him say from across the room, “Wow, Leah! This is an amazing shot!” I’ll give you three guesses which picture he was looking at.
6 comments
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Jennifer Strong
June 9, 2011 at 8:14 AM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hurray Leah!! I would’ve been scared/shy too… Well done my friend.
Lisa LaPlante
June 9, 2011 at 1:02 PM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Proud of you! Doesn’t it always feel amazing when you are true to yourself? Doesn’t it really feel like the universe is falling open at your feet and it’s yours for the taking? Hold onto that my friend! Congrats!!!!! Love you.
Cheryl Collins
June 10, 2011 at 6:16 AM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks Leah. Shyness is something that follows you all through life but I have found as I get older I am not so shy. Would love to see the picture you got!!
Leah Carey
June 15, 2011 at 10:09 PM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks everyone! And Cheryl, as soon as the paper publishes the picture I took, I’ll be happy to share it. 🙂 I think the editor is waiting for another hot day to print it.
Robin
March 8, 2012 at 7:53 AM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I used to be so shy until I started coaching and then I had to grow out of it. Here’s a little help…
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Shyness… Overcoming it.
5 Pieces of Advice for Dealing with Shyness and Social Anxiety
I have very few friends…
I am nervous, tense and anxious a lot of the time…
I’m at a loss as to how to keep a conversation going…
I am very shy, self-conscious, quiet and insecure…
Do these sound like something you would say? Do they sound all too familiar? If so, these tips are for you!
Shyness and social anxiety are very common disorders. The causes are many, but most people can overcome social anxiety without professional counseling. If you have social anxiety, and/or are painfully shy, the effects can be pretty unpleasant. You may feel isolated, self-conscious or nervous in group settings and may even experience physical symptoms as well. Some people get sweaty palms, trembling hands or feel discomfort or nausea in the stomach. There are several proactive steps you can take that may help in overcoming shyness and social anxiety. LEt’s take a look at 5 different methods and tips.
If you experience such a great degree of discomfort that you aren’t able to begin in a ‘live’ setting, try a virtual setting. Let’s say you love dogs or dancing. There are hundreds of thousands of forums and message boards related to these topics. Get online and search out several. Give yourself a chance to look them over and get a sense of the participants. Seek out the friendliest group. Sign up and start posting. The first step in overcoming social anxiety or shyness is to socialize. Even if you’re not face-to-face, you’re still interacting with other people.
Don’t stop at this point! Once you’ve become comfortable in this virtual group, it’s time to widen your horizons. Your virtual experience shows that you are interesting to other people and can have lively exchanges and make friends. Overcoming shyness and social anxiety requires that you acknowledge that you have valuable info and good personality traits to share. Join a live support group in your community. When you go to your meeting, remember that the participants are just like you and the group leader knows just how to draw people out in non-threatening ways. Have a great time!
When you feel ore comfortable in your support group, invite a member or two with whom you have developed a rapport out for lunch or a bike ride in the local park. You’ll soon find it’s not nearly as scary as you once supposed. You may even find yourself talking easily and enjoying being in the company of others.
Now for perhaps the biggest step in overcoming your shyness or social anxiety: host a lunch or dinner in your home. Your party doesn’t need to be large, just three or four people will do. By now, your level of confidence has grown. No more sweaty palms or heart palpitations at the mere thought of such an event. You’ve got enough support and experience in successfully mixing socially to take this huge leap.
All along in the process, write in a diary each of these steps towards overcoming shyness and social anxiety. Write down your thoughts, list positive interchanges and things that people seem to like about you. Believe me, the list may become long. Your journal may also become a cherished keepsake of your successful journey. Good luck!
Robin recently posted at their blog…Dealing With Difficult People When You Have Social Anxiety
See more at hicu.org
September 23, 2014 at 4:31 AM (UTC -5) Link to this comment
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See more at hicu.org recently posted at their blog…See more at hicu.org