Regardless of which type of shy you are, in order to overcome any weakness, you have to desire to change and to overcome it. You won't go from being shy to outgoing overnight, but if you start today, you can make progress.
Kallie Sommercorn, 19, who is in college in Logan, Utah, says she used to be shy when she was younger. "I would freeze up whenever I was put in social situations," she says. "I never knew what to say, and I always felt like I would just make a fool of myself." She was also afraid to speak in front of people or to answer questions in class. "Once high school hit, I really had a desire to change this," she says.
So Kallie started involving herself more in conversations. Although she used to stumble over her words when talking with friends or answering questions in class, with practice she was able to overcome most of her shyness. "It was a lot easier when I finally realized that people didn't think what I was saying was dumb."
If you are self-consciously shy like Kallie was, the first step is to realize that shyness doesn't change your divine worth. Often we have a warped view of ourselves and feel like our worth comes from grades or beauty or what we think others think about us. Then we start to compare ourselves to others and lower our self-esteem. Instead, focus on the fact that everyone is a child of God. Stop comparing yourself to others, and it will be easier to form friendships.
Tyler McGill, 15, from Kingston, Massachusetts, is shy when he meets new people. He finds it hard to make friends because it is difficult for him to start conversations, so he tries to find something in common with people. "I have tried to overcome being shy by going to stake activities and participating more and communicating with the youth that I have more in common with," he says.