I at one time in my life was crippled by my shyness, low self esteem and poor misunderstandings of my “self.”
After a life changing moment many years ago at my wife’s company holiday gathering, I saw that the things I was afraid of were going to become bigger monsters in my life if I did not face my social fears.
So what did I do? I decided that I needed to “re-connect” with the world no matter how difficult I found it. That if I did not engage my days and the people that filled them that I would never escape the prison of my solitude and shyness.
So just what did I do to overcome my own fears and anxieties? I took small steps. I could not just throw myself into social situations and get results because I had came too far in my isolation and withdrawal over years of living. So I started in concept – I wrote small positive affirmations and thoughts that I would “email” to a very tiny list of family and friends. I also returned to college to finish the degree I had so desperately dreamed of in my youth.
In those two steps I “put myself out there” in small but still uncomfortable ways. Each day I embraced the words I wrote and the people and lessons I was learning from my return to college. Did these steps work? Well you are now reading the results of the first effort (The Daily Buddha) and while still in school I was hired by Adobe (the software imaging giant) to publicly present software and give design tips. . .yes, public presenting to thousands of people!
On some level we all need to go out and mix with people every day. We need to become parts of our local community and forge ties of friendship with others and work together to create a sense of being and peace. Staying connected in this way is a practical manifestation of our lives permeating all things and letting life permeate us.
Peace and Love, Jim
