Practise. Practise talking with people.

Try to make yourself say one more thing than you usually would. Even if it feels like you have nothing to say, find something to say. After you are good at that, try to talk even more. Having a supportive group of friends is also very important. Even if you only have two or three close friends, they will be able to help you. If you go somewhere with them, you might feel more comfortable that without them.

I used to be extremely shy, too. Practice talking: Very, very difficult, but after a few years you get used to it. Body language: If you deliberately change your body language from 'shy' to 'relaxed' it really, really helps and it starts helping almost right away. Be brave: If someone disses what you are saying [really hard to deal with when just speaking up is so hard] they probably just want to see if your mind is up to coming up with a come-back or better answer. [It really surprised me when I found that out.}

These are all excellent ideas. I have many tips on my blogs. Please check them out. http://goodbyeshyness.blogspot.com http://www.blogcharm.com/iamshy Please comment. I love to hear what everyone has to say. Thanks, Marcia, Your Confidence Coach

There's only one thing that will definitely stop yours or anybody else's shyness: QUIT THINKING ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU. I know how it feels to be shy. I used to be so shy before that when we were assigned reports that need to be done in front of the class, I end up dreading the activity for days. I was so shy I would usually sit at the back row so as not to attract any attention from the class. I never recited voluntarily. I'd rather starve at break time rather than be seen eating alone in the cafeteria and be made fun of. Finally, in my first year of college I had to present an essay in front of the class. It was supposed to be our final exam. I was so nervous, I blanked out several times and had to make up parts of my written speech [of which I gave my teacher a copy, so I knew that SHE KNEW I was making things up as I went along]. In the middle of my speech, I felt the urge to cry. And the almost-failing grade I received made me want to cry even more. That was it. I finally got exhausted. Really, really, REALLY GODDAMN exhausted. So I just stopped caring about what other people would say. And I discovered a few things along the way. It wasn't so bad eating alone in the cafeteria. I found it better because I can read and eat without any disturbing chatter. Besides, nobody can see how messy I eat hehe. It wasn't difficult to recite. 3 seconds and you're done airing a piece of your mind. And the teacher tends to give you plus points for participating in class. It was nice to sit in front where nobody usually sits, because you get to hear the lessons clearly. And the blackboard is no longer obstructed by your classmate's huge head. It was liberating. To do what you want and not care about what everyone has to say or think about you. If I just stopped caring way back when I was still a kid, I probably would have had a happier childhood.

I use to be really shy when I was growing up. My mom and dad could introduce me to someone, and leave us alone and I would just stare with shyness, like I really didn't know what to say. I am a singer, and so I'm use to getting in front of crowds and it's fine for me, but I had a hard time speaking of the song I was going to sing so my mother would do that for me. I finally got to an age where it was embarrasing for my mom to do it for me, and I decided that I was going to just let it flow from my heart. Everybody would be fine with that. Being confident with yourself is the best thing to do. Stepping out of your comfort zone. Being around crowds more like: A dinner such as a Potluck. When I'm at church, I have to go and introduce myself to someone or greet them, this is also one of my ways of coming out of my shyness. Yes, I still get fearful, but the more I go up to someone, the more I know I'm ok. People can sense when you are fearful, and sometimes don't know how to respond.

Act it out , it will not overcome the shyness completely but the acting the part becomes easier and you are learning social skills on how to handle situations at the same time. It works for me

Really - one should know what one is shy about. I'm not sure - but I think you have to be shy about a certain topic -" I'm not smart", " I stink", "I'm ugly", "I worry", "I don't want to sound a certain way", "I don't want them to think such and such." Find out what that is - and then over come it.

Join Theatre, Speech, or Debate. It helped me.

My shyness went away when I made friends with a really outgoing, energetic, happy person like two years ago. Or rather, she made friends with me. Her confidence and energy rubbed off on me a lot. For a long time, I just kind of sat in her shadow and all that. But she went off to college, and now I'm a lot like she was before. She really taught me how to forget about the fact that other people are looking at you, and not care if they judge you, and just do what makes you happy.

practice talking with people

The secret is to get the other person to talk about themselves. Compliment them on their appearance or something they have on and they will give you the opportunity to comment on the conversation. The more you do it, the better it gets. Nobody could have been more shy than me, I needed 3 beers just to ask my wife to dance!

An outgoing friend or two can really help. I had a super shy friend in high school and our circle of friends got her into going out as a group, which helped bring her more confidence. She was never deserted and was able to overcome some of her shyness by getting to know strangers while in the company of close friends. She even accepted a blind date to attend her senior prom!

i read somewhere that you should not put other people on a pedestal. think of yourself as an equal. it also helps when you know you look good.

stick to the truth and you should be alright

It sounds as if you have social anxiety disorder. It is a mental disorder than can be successfully treated. These sites might be of help. They have helped me.: http://socialanxietydisorder.about.com/b/2...be-overcome.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_4769699_overcome-s...y-disorder.html

Actually shyness was proven to be genetic around 20yrs. ago. And from what they say only 17% of all people ever overcome it. I was extremely shy(no girlfriend until 21) but getting a job in customer service really seemed to help, because people expect you to be personable and eventually you will. I'm still not a big "hello" person though. But I do get a kick out how some people are afraid of me.

tell a lie,wine n sex will make u a shameless,sesitiveless n selfish person.4

Im extremely shy and i dont know what to do. Yes my friends tell me this but it doesnt help me. I get so nervous i quit my favorite sport for freshmen year. Im a sophmore and i dont know what to do. Nothing has worked.

Live so that you love yourself. When you do, you will be more confident, especially if you are more active, have a good posture, eat and stay healthy and/or fit, not to mention the possible change in fashion. Doing this worked for me. Gospel truth. :)

Go see the movie "YesMan" with Jim Carrey. When the movie is over, live like his character did and start saying yes to everything for a few weeks and see how things change.

First of all, you need to completely lose all empathy and care for fellow human beings. Second, practice being a twat. Find people you don't know and insult them and intend to make them cry. Other shy people are great for this. It is affective if you have a good freind. Put them down on every possable occasion and make yourself feel better and more confident. Thirdly, drink exesive amounts of alcohol. This is offen very helpful.

I am a bit shy...used to be a lost cause but am better now. You just need to force yourself to talk more and do stuff outside. I know it is hard to ignore everyone and just disregard what they think. Tell your friends what kind of stuff you wouldn't hate doing, and make them force you to do it. I didn't do that, but I forced myself to be more outgoing. It will take time...best of luck.

I can tell by the answers here that none of you have a clue about how it is to be really shy! But that's not at all uncommon. For many years I was very painfully shy. Through my teens and my twenties my world was very small because I was too afraid and didn't have the social skill practice and knowledge necessary to begin and hold conversations, try out for activities such as cheerleading, or even eat lunch with others. Over the years I was denied chances at jobs because I was too quiet and one woman said I was a "cold fish" and not the "gadfly" she was looking for in an assistant. I did not go to my senior prom, and I've had four boyfriends in my 30 decades of life. And mind you, I am not unattractive or repulsive in anyway. I have been described as very attractive in addition to being talented and intelligent. But the fact of the matter is if you are quiet, shy, can barely look others in the eye, and have a low speaking voice people begin to shun you. People think you are dumb or incompetent. What else can they know when most outgoing and extroverted types loudly proclaim to the world what they’re all about, what they do, etc. If you rarely talk, no one has any clue about you, and understandably so. Often well meaning folk tell shy people to just “hang out with others more” But that’s only part of the problem. You can linger around all the people you want, and I did a lot of that with my ex. But I was still afraid, and I didn’t know how to begin a conversation or keep one going and had no idea that some of the things I was doing when I did talk were driving people away. When you come from a lifetime of being shy you simply do not know the rules of social interaction, and they are many. Most people learn them growing up and through practice and its not hard, because they may already have an uninhibited or bold personality type. Most shy people have a naturally inhibited personality type and they may be introverted, though not always. Most of the time they lack social skills. So my point is just saying “get out there” is not helpful. If you don’t know the rules and have the skills you are lost. The other part is the anxiety part of being shy and the low self esteem that can often accompanies that. If your physical symptoms are such that they are painful and distracting, it’s hard to focus on others and what you need to do in a social situation. In fact, in order to not feel that flood of discomfort you will probably just avoid social situations altogether. As an adolescent, I did just that. If I had to speak in class, if I had to walk by a group of kids, if I was late to class, it felt as if my chest was constricted my face was on fire and my heart was in my throat. Try “just getting out there” with those problems. In addition to all that, I felt incredible shame about being shy (as if that were my fault). I felt that somehow I should have been able to “just get out there” and if I did everything would work itself out. Well, I did lessen some of my anxiety by accompanying my ex boyfriend to parties, but without the skills I needed to successfully interact my failures fueled my low self esteem and shame. What I ended up having to do was seeing a therapist that specializes in social anxiety. Through therapy I learned to accept that I was shy, I learned that it wasn’t my fault, and I learned that being social is something people learn over time growing up and that many things can interfere with that including if your parents are shy and whether you are just naturally more quiet to begin with! I was pointed to books I could read about how to start conversations and become more likeable and I learned some rules to smooth my interactions. I learned about open versus closed questions, about body language (not crossing your arms is essential); I learned how to enter a group of conversations (hang on the edges and wait to make eye contact with someone). I learned relaxation techniques to deal with my physical symptoms of anxiety (breathing techniques). I will never be the life of the party or a roaring extrovert. But that’s okay with me. I only wanted to feel comfortable enough to get a job, chat people up now and then, and go to a party without feeling as if I would die. I can do all of that now. My world has opened up considerably. So shy people do need to get out there, but first they need the tools to be successful once they are.