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Being introverted or shy tends to come with a great deal of negative connotations in our society. You may feel shame or sadness in regards to your experience, or even question why you are the way you are. Remind yourself being introverted is more of a personality trait that has its own set of strengths. The only thing to address is if your shyness is causing you to struggle with work. If that's the case, find a few ways to manage it in that setting. Try to understand and remind yourself that anxiety and shyness in the workplace are completely normal occurrences. Many people have the same feelings you do if their job entails a public focus. Allow yourself time to adjust to being in the public eye more often. If you're used to spending a lot of time on your own or find speaking in front of others a challenge or draining, remind yourself that you can learn how to work with the public over time. It's just a matter of practicing the set of skills you will need to perform your job. Practicing new skills can be a bit nerve wracking, but it can also be exciting and fun. It's okay to feel uncomfortable at first, because it's new to you. This is the learning process. However, as you take small steps and see small improvements every day, it can be fun too. Avoid putting yourself down. Everyone has to practice new skills in order to do them well. Find resources dedicated to introverted individuals such as "On Being an Introvert at Big Conferences" by Aaron B. Hockley or "Plight of the Introvert" on Wordpress to help you understand you are not alone. Once you define the differences, decide where you fall and what you identify with the most. Placing a name on it gives you power to change it, own it, or overcome it. Acknowledge any fears you have and make a defined and realistic plan to work on changing them . Shyness. People who are shy tend to feel awkward in certain social situations, so they might avoid them now and then. However, shyness does not usually overtake your life. You can work on overcoming shyness by doing things you would not normally do, such as smiling at a stranger or introducing yourself to a new coworker. Introversion. People who are introverted have a set of qualities that causes them to prefer being alone to spending time with people. Introverts may still be social and present themselves with confidence, but they might need more time to recharge after a lots of social time. If you are introverted, then you can learn how to balance your social time with enough alone time to recharge. Social Phobia. Social phobia is a mental illness that causes some people to completely avoid social situations and it can have severe effects on one's quality of life. If you think you might have social phobia, then you may want to see a therapist to get help. Getting to know your coworkers may make it easier to work with the public if you are shy. The support that you get from your coworkers may help you to feel more confident in different social settings. It's hard to jump into social or more casual situations at work, but try to get involved as much as you feel comfortable with. Generally, the more comfortable you feel with your co-workers or clients, the less shy or anxious you may feel the next time you interact with them. Take it slow and try the following: Show up to the team building exercises. Go out to happy hour with your co-workers. Try to be helpful not only to customers, but also to fellow co-workers. Spark short casual conversations with clients, coworkers, or the public based on observations. If someone is displaying sports memorabilia ask, "Hey, are you a Yankees fan? Me too! Did you see the game the other day?" All of the interaction and working to change your experience for the better can have a drain on an introvert. You are working hard to improve your career, just make sure you are taking care of yourself as well. Be prepared and have a recovery plan for yourself if you know a certain day or event is going to be particularly draining. Practice telling yourself positive mantras or affirmations at the end of the day such as, "I faced my fears," "I am proud of what I accomplished today," or "Now I will take care of myself." Create blocks of quiet, uninterrupted time so that you can recharge yourself throughout the day or at the end of the day. Conserve your energy beforehand. If you are speaking at a conference or going to a crowded event avoid going to lunch with your coworkers beforehand or mingling with other conference attendees. Take some quiet time just for you if you know you'll have to push a lot of effort out soon. The more time you spend interacting with strangers or interacting with the public, the more you'll get used to it. Practice the techniques that work for you, and be proud of yourself for working with your fears and accomplishing your goals. Keep at it. You will find that you'll become more comfortable working with strangers and with interacting with the public in general.
Remind yourself that you're fine just the way you are. Define the difference between introversion, shyness, and social anxiety for yourself. Make calculated efforts to get involved at work. Address the energy expenditure. Give it time.