Always remember this!

When the audience frown – they are curious!
When the audience smile – they are enjoying you; interesting!
When the audience laugh – they’ve just heard a new thing; that’s great!

Do you get nervous or embarrassed about meeting or speaking to people? Shyness is painful! Those who are shy are quite uncomfortable with the phenomenon, but they seem to be helpless. There are positive aspects to having a measure of shyness though. It is akin to modesty and humility, you could simply term is as coyness. A shy person is also valued as a good listener. However, when shyness restricts and inhibits you from maximizing your potentials. When it starts to make you feel hurt, it’s time you do something about it.

"No matter how many talents a man may possess, if he be lacking in self confidence, he can never use them to the best advantage…"
– Sidney Newton Bremer (Spirit of Apollo).

The main symptom of shyness is the feeling of unease or discomfort when you are around or in front of people. It’s opposite is boldness, self confidence or self esteem. To take charge of your destiny, you need to be daring – bold and courageous. Shyness is a sibling of timidity and fear, which are all nothing but negative emotions that affect their victims in many ways.

What Goes on in the Mind of a Shy Person:

• They imagine, others think little of them.
• They are extremely self conscious.
• They are ignorant of their true worth. They think little of themselves.

By implication, you tend towards becoming what you think of yourselves. At the advance stage of habitual shyness, your disposition tends to portray such false image about you as being unfriendly, un-upright, pessimistic or sycophantic. Consequently, what you fear most happens, whether it’s the fear of rejection, disapproval, or failure. The good news is that all these can be reversed and you can live above shyness. Here are three keys to achieve that.

1. Be Conscious of Your True Identity: The greatest identity that anyone can have is that they are a child of God. That you are a child of God is the most permanent, most prominent, the best and limitless self-worth you possess. You don’t overcome the world because you are rich, wise, educated or a citizen, but because you are born of God. Here is the secret of a transformed internal orientation; acknowledge the fact that you are representing the highest authority in the universe. That is enough to inspire confidence in you. always walk in this consciousness
2. Adjust Your Disposition: Though your presentation is important, yourself is a more important part of the whole.
   • You need to look pleasant and smile.
   • Maintain a friendly eye contact.
   • Stand straight or sit right. Pull back your shoulder.
   • Accompany your speech with gesture of approval. The audience will comply with your innovative presentation.
   • If the audience frowns, you should smile, they are curious.
   • If the audience smiles, you should smile, they can identify with your point.
   • If the audience laughs, laugh also but less and stay focused. Don’t be distracted, it doesn’t mean you are incorrect but that you are communicating and you are making sense.
   • Believe that you have an internal circumstance to overcome any external circumstance and press on. Believe you can, and you will!
   • Improve continuously and with consistency. Get better and better everyday and every way.
3. Be Prepared:Just like the motto of the Boys Scout, be prepared; to give your best at every point in time. Opportunities will come your way on several occasions, to give a speech, participate in a debate or quiz competition, attend a prerequisite interview and so on. Be prepared to embrace those challenges as a champion. Those seemingly challenging situations, when your gut is dared to deliver, hold the promises of promotion and success. And you know what? When opportunity meets with preparation, success is inevitable. Start by reading aloud to yourself in front of a mirror, with eye contact and improve on your diction and confidence. Then proceed to giving speech to one, two, three, and large audience at a time. Don’t always expect applause, if they give it, accept it and thank them. If they don’t, you are ok! You are on top of any circumstance.