Shyness : The Silent Barrier to Growth

 Just clearing my drafts : ) 

It’s been a long time since I’ve done some random scribbling, so I just want to brush it up a little—both in this blog and in my thought process.

Let’s jump into today’s topic. It’s something that all of us have probably experienced at some point in our lives: Shyness.

Let me break it down like this:
S – Socializing
H – Hypo
Y – Youth

I mention Youth because, by the time we become adults, many of us may have recognized and let go of this beautifully wrapped, yet devilish, trait called shyness.

There are usually two ways shyness can play out: one with a positive outcome and the other with a negative one.

For example, imagine someone asks a question in a crowd.

• Case 1: You know the answer but stay silent.

• Case 2: You want to try answering, but still don’t.

In both cases, hesitation stops you. Your mind floods with thoughts like:
“What if I’m wrong?”
“What if people laugh at me?”
“What if I get judged for not knowing the answer?”

You might convince yourself that staying quiet saved you from embarrassment. If your answer had been wrong, at least no one laughed. That seems like a win.

But what if your answer had been right? You missed your chance to shine—and that’s where the regret comes in.

Sadly, we often focus more on avoiding the negative outcome than chasing the positive one. That fear keeps many of us silent, hiding us from the world.

The things we once wanted to do—but didn’t because of shyness—can become long-lasting regrets. I personally regret many moments where I held myself back from speaking up or connecting with others. I lost valuable opportunities and meaningful relationships because of it.

To grow, we need to step out of our comfort zone. Staying idle, repeating the same boring routine, leads to stagnation.

There’s nothing to feel embarrassed or awkward about. You either take a shot, or you learn a lesson.

YOLO —never hesitate to try new things. I wish everyone a fresh start, and a life lived without regrets.

Ps: Wrote this 2 yrs ago 😅                                                                        

                                                                                                                           Penned by

                                                                                                                           Shreyas.S

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