Don’t Be Shy

Are people born shy?  Simply put, a person cannot be born shy because newborns do not have a sense of self.  They are not aware that they are a separate person and since shyness requires us to have a sense of self, we cannot be born shy.

However, we are born with a temperament.  A temperament is the genetically based part of our personalities, with some of us being born with a more inhibited temperament than others. Studies have examined babies and how they react to stimulations, then look at how these children act as children.  They noticed that the babies that were more inhibited as babies were generally more inhibited as children.  Therefore, concluding that while we are not born shy, we may be born with a predisposition to shyness.

Our temperament may be genetic but it is also influenced by our environment so just because a person is predisposed to shyness doesn’t mean they will be a shy adult. And likewise some people develop shyness without being predisposed towards it. Our environment and life experiences can help reduce shyness, in part or in whole, increase it or create it.

The good news is that whatever the reason of your shyness, it can be overcome.  We know this because our environment and experiences have a large impact of our degree of shyness. As adults we have more control over our environment and at most ages we can set up and create our own positive experiences. 

*Please note I am not referring to extreme shyness, if you are at all concerned please see a medical profession.