Another way to build your confidence and to get more pumped to talk to other people is to learn something new. This can be anything from figure skating to creative writing to Italian cooking. You don't have to be the best in the world at it; what’s important is that you work at it and acknowledge your successes. Mastering things will not only boost your confidence, it will also give you more to talk about with others and may help you make some friends along the way, too.  If you're already good at something, awesome. Add it to your list of things that make you unique. And don't be afraid to try something else anyway. Learning new skills also helps keep your brain sharp. When your brain is constantly challenged with new information and tasks, it has to become more flexible and adaptable -- and that’s excellent for helping you break out of your shell.  Try a class! Whether it’s yoga for beginners or Italian Cooking 101, classes can be a great way to connect with others who are also learning something new to them. You’ll be able to see that everyone makes mistakes along the way to mastery, and you may even bond with people over your newfound passion. Staying in your shell can be comfortable. You know what you’re good at, and you never have to do anything that frightens you or makes you uncomfortable. The thing is, staying in your comfort zone kills creativity and exploration. Doing things you’ve never done before will help you come out of your shell.  Pushing yourself past your comfort zone means acknowledging that fear and uncertainty exist, and that it’s okay to feel those things. You just can’t let those feelings keep you from exploring the world. If you practice taking risks even when you’re a little afraid, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to continue taking them.  Psychologists have discovered that you actually need a little anxiety to make you more creative. People work harder when they feel slightly unsure of the situation, which leads to better performance, too.  On the other hand, you don’t want to try too much too soon. Too much anxiety, and your brain will simply shut down. So push yourself a little bit at a time, but be patient with yourself.  This doesn't mean you have to go skydiving if you're scared of being on a second floor balcony. But whether it's trying salsa dancing, going hiking, or making your own sushi, promise yourself that you’ll start doing things outside your comfort zone. One way to set yourself up for a social setback is to expect perfection immediately. Instead, boost your confidence by setting yourself some goals that seem challenging but doable. As your confidence levels increase, you can set yourself harder goals.  Try to speak to just one person at a gathering. It can be overwhelming to go into a situation assuming that you have to “work the room” and interact with everyone, especially if you’ve just started working on coming out of your shell. Instead, plan to speak with just one person. That’s totally do-able! And when you’ve done it, you can add it to your mental “success shelf.”  Look for other people who might be shy. You’re not the only person in the world who has trouble coming out of your shell! The next time you’re at a gathering, look around for someone else who looks uncomfortable or is standing off in a corner. Go over and introduce yourself. It could be that you’re the inspiration they need to come out of their shell a little bit too. Not every interaction will go as you hope. Not everyone will respond well to your approaches. Sometimes, you’ll say something that doesn’t go over well. That’s okay! Accepting the possibility of uncertainty and different outcomes than you’d planned for will help you stay open to connecting with others.  Recasting setbacks or challenges as learning experiences can also help keep you from viewing them (or yourself) as a “failure.” When we wrongly think of ourselves as failures, we’re unmotivated to keep trying, because what’s the point? Instead, look for what you can learn from every situation, even the ones that were uncomfortable or didn’t go the way you’d hoped. For example, you might try introducing yourself to someone at a party, but he isn’t interested in talking to you and turns away. This sucks, but guess what? It isn’t a failure; it's not really a mistake, either, since you had the strength and courage to put yourself out there. You may be able to learn some things from the experience too, such as observing signs that someone isn’t interested in having a conversation at that moment and realizing that the way other people act is not your fault. When you’re feeling embarrassed by something, remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes. Maybe you've asked someone how his girlfriend is doing when everyone else knew she dumped him weeks ago. Maybe you've found yourself talking too much about your childhood obsession with ferrets. All of that is okay -- we've all done it. The important thing is that you get knocked down, but you get up again. Don't let one social mistake keep you from trying in the future.
أتقن فعل شيءٍ ما. ادفع نفسك خارج منطقة الراحة. ضع لنفسك أهدافاً "سهلة. أقرَّ باحتمال حدوث أخطاء.