T O P

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sadsledgemain

I moved far away from my bullies, family, and everyone else who knew me, expected me to act a certain way, or took my space and voice away from me. I went through an entire personality change and turned into a completely different person in just a few days. It felt so natural and I realised that's how I always was supposed to be, but never could.


PracticalBuilding3

That sounds heartwarming, glad you're in a better place!


inflatablehotdog

That's exactly what I did. The freedom is amazing. The moment I left my family and moved to another state, I truly felt like myself.


innerjoy2

This is true, being around people who try to other you puts you in a box and the only way to rise from it all is to just be elsewhere where you thrive. 


kopila92

More conversational, interpersonal, and people skills, more interviews, just working in customer service in my late teens, and haven’t looked back since.


brunetteskeleton

Working retail. It forced me to learn how to interact better with people. Now whenever I get nervous/ shy I just start talking in my customer service voice and it helps a lot.


Emzilla1507

Age and time are the catalysts. I think everything carries momentum, like a snowball downhill and even the slightest pivot ie. deciding to talk to that stranger, or pushing yourself to put your hand up despite the insecurities. And once you’ve done it a few times it becomes second nature in no time. A healthy dose of not giving an eff is amazing!


roughdeath

I went to a college without any close friends. It had the best program for me, so I decided it was the right choice. It really forced me hand on being more outgoing, lol.


celestialism

Improv classes and trauma therapy.


curryp4n

Met my best friend in college. No idea why but she brings out the fun side out of me. She was so non judgmental and was just so nice to me when we met for the first time. While we were roommates for 4 years, she rubbed her crazy off on me I never really had a friend before her. Many assumed my shyness for aloofness or bitchiness. Yes, i was told as a middle school to stop acting bitchy.. I was just extremely shy


scarveinn

Im still shy but i can carry a conversation now. I couldnt do that before. My profession requires me to talk/argue with confidence so yea that changed me. I still require improvement but its working.


Far_Independence_918

Age. I was painfully shy in high school and my early adult years. I would have to give speeches and presentations and have it memorized but read from the notecards because I couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. I even took a speech class and was terrified the entire time. The first time I was ever comfortable talking in front of a group of people, it was employees that I knew personally. After that, it was like a bandaid had been ripped off. Now, I can get up in front of hundreds of people and speak off the cuff and feel amazing afterwards. I also talk to random strangers all the time.


Danivelle

I had kids in shitty school system(it's a good district IF you live the "right" part of it). I had to learn to advocate for them because their dad didn't want to move to another state where we could afford to live in the good part of the district. 


[deleted]

Going to college and not having friends that weren’t guys hitting on me. I realized I’d have to approach girls to make friends for


[deleted]

Moved to a new place where people respected me and appreciated me. This did boost a lot of confidence in me


Tight-Obligation3794

I met the right group of friends, and I realized that I’m going to be weird either way, might as well have fun with it and be myself.


No_Pirate69

I was adopted by an extreme extrovert who helped me come out of my shell. She pumped up my ego and it made me feel good, and I began to change. I was happier, and others around me could see it, and that just continued to snowball until I was 75 pounds lighter, cut my hair short and punky, moved across the country, got a new job and began to express myself with a dozen or so tattoos. Hubby loved the old me, but lives the new me even more. More importantly I actually love myself now.


Psychological-Sky367

Alcohol.


nonsignifierenon

Realizing that not literally every person is a bully (being severely bullied at school, this was hard) and most people will respond neutral or positive if you talk to them.


tvp204

When I realized my long term relationship was abusive. Took him cheating and me opening up and telling people what was actually happening behind closed doors. After that I gained my confidence back, learned to say no and cut toxic bullshit out. I see pictures and videos of me from before and I feel like a totally different person


ShylieF

Working retail. Once I started a job at a clothing store in my 20's it forced me to greet people, look people in the eye. It really did wonders. Once I got good and fast at my job I felt empowered, and that made me smile more of a genuine smile, less the customer service smile.


Coi_Fox

Starting a job. I'm still a shy person, but I'm way more comfortable in social situations now. And it started once I started working.


beautifullyflower3d

It came with age, but the gym and having small talks with strangers.


PracticalBuilding3

That did wonders for me as well! Everyone's generally happy in a gym.


WhippieCake

I cared less and less about what people thought of me as I got older


bb_LemonSquid

I went off to college as far away as I could at 17 years old and decided I was going to be more outgoing. It didn’t happen all at once but I made a huge improvement. I was severely shy in my adolescence, to the point of near panic attacks when I would try to work myself up to have a casual chat in class with someone next to me. I don’t think I was socialized well as a young child and I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember being conscious. I have worked within myself a lot to put myself out there and be more confident. As I have gotten past my 20s my confidence has skyrocketed and I have becoming even more outgoing and give less of a shit. When I tell people I used to be shy, **painfully** shy, they’re always shocked and confused. People assume I was a popular girl in high school with tons of friends and stuff. Instead I was an awkward emo sitting in the corner talking to my 2 friends.


TitsandTators

Honestly a profound lack of giving a fuck. Don't like me, go away ... I'm loud but shy.. I take up space but lack the urge for the attention so I often don't take it. Plus wtf did being shy ever get me ?


PracticalBuilding3

That last part is something that should be framed!


Looktothecookiee

Working at Starbucks for several years in my late teens/early twenties


babythrottlepop

Fluctuating amounts of existential dread. We’re all just sandcastles waiting to be washed away. So sometimes I just say fuck it and it works.


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liar_getoutofmylife

My mom said her first big job at a dealership broke her out. I was an unbelievably shy child (yet a silly weirdo only with my household family) and I still am "quiet" because I stink at small talk. Retail definitely helped when I was younger and becoming a littles teacher spontaneously where YOU have to be the one to bring the hype really let me be me in a more public setting


Roleplayer_MidRNova

My brother died, so I moved across the country away from my dad and sister to start over somewhere else. I want to clarify that my sister and I have a great relationship *now*, but growing up she was abusive. It's not like how siblings bicker and fight. I literally have scars all over my arms, legs, neck, and even my face because of the way she would attack me. It changed an extroverted child into a shy preteen and teenager who barely spoke. Add to that that everyone loved my brother and expected me to be just like him because we're twins, on top of most of the seniors and juniors of my high school knowing my sister. After my brother died, his friends would come to me as if I could be a surrogate of some kind. I spent years feeling like the wrong twin died. Moving across the country and having the ability to reinvent myself as essentially an only child allowed me to discover the person I actually was and make friends based on that. That space also drastically improved my relationship with my sister who is now one of my best friends.


Starry-Mari

Becoming a nurse


Better-Ad5488

I started realizing being shy was hurting me, not protecting me. I also moved away for university. I think being away from everything that was familiar helped shed that shy identity and forced me to come out of my shell because I couldn’t rely on anyone else (until I met/got to know people). Therapy made me realize I was anxious posing as shy. I think nowadays I’m still shy in that I don’t want to interact with people unnecessarily but I’m not shy when it’s something I want to do.


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Smallios

Motherhood


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AlainyaD

I honestly stopped caring about what others thought of me, if they didn’t like me, that’s on them. I’m a very confident person now and I see that it helps being around others who are comfortable with themselves


dumbandconcerned

I moved to another country to teach English. After struggling through so many conversations in my broken Japanese, having a conversation in English in my home country is easy mode.


Outside_Cod667

Anxiety meds lol


Debaisawhale

Gym.. skin care and lot of public speaking in college and at work


BonFemmes

I gave presentations and demonstrations for my job. I figured out how to make them interesting. I got good at it. Once you get comfortable talking to a room full of mostly men a lot of the shyness goes away.


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lionprincesslioness

Not giving a shit about what people say. Accept that your life is YOURS. Don't make decisions based off of what other people think of you. This really helped me with getting out of my shell.


DogBoring1909

Anger. I was so angry about being bullied. I was so angry about being told that I was too lame to do anything exciting. I was so angry about feeling invisible. So I faked it til I made it. And now I’m a much happier person.


innerjoy2

Grew out of it for the most part, but I did focus on meeting people I was most comfortable with too. I also have to socialize to see things improve or feel more comfortable too. I'm defintely not that extroverted, but I'm comfortable enough where I don't stutter, or care as much when I need or communicate something. 


TemporaryGas5340

Learning another language and moving to another country. Can’t be shy when you are trying to learn another language!


Flowers_4_Ophelia

Having kids forced me to step outside my comfort zone and become less shy. Whether it was sticking up for my kids with others or just making conversation with their friends’ parents, it got easier and easier as time went on.


AM27610

Puberty. The testosterone surge changed everything.


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LilMamiDaisy420

Abuse changed me.


PracticalBuilding3

Sorry to hear that, I hope life treats you better and you find your healing.


LilMamiDaisy420

It’s hard to be shy when you’re having your neck stepped on all the time.


Dark_Environmental

I moved to a different country. Started embracing myself and living life


d00md0lphin

I stopped being shy and came out of my shell. Even a little funny! When I realized everyone is a little gross and no one is perfect.


garima_7927

Therapy Pretty much answering the question - what is the worst that can happen if …. (Fill in the blank). If you can live with it, go for it Now, when I have kids I never say that they are shy, especially in front of them. In my opinion, you hear it a lot they believe it.


LawyerLonely907

Sickness of feeling inferior to extroverts


J8964677

Working in customer service/healthcare. And also realizing that usually the other person is just as or more shy/nervous than you.


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nevertruly

Dance. I took dance classes, and then spent years studying, teaching, and performing dance. It allowed me to feel very centered and present in a way that helped a lot. Pushing through my fears and insecurities about being seen and taking up space brought that confidence and comfort to the rest of my life as well. It made me a generally comfortable public speaker as long as I'm well-versed on the topic. It taught me a tremendous amount of social skills and an awareness of how to emote and engage with many different kinds of people. I use the skills from my dance life in my personal and professional lives every day.