Contents

Preface

1 How to Deal with People Now Until Your Shyness Is Gone

1 Should I Tell People I’m Shy?

2 How Savvy Shys Get Out of a Situation They Can’t Face… Yet!

3 How to Battle the Blushing, Sweating, and Other Shy Signs

4 How to Talk to Yourself About Your Shyness

5 When the Going Gets Tough

2 What People Really Think of You

6 Can People Tell I’m Shy?

7 Take Off Your Mud-Colored Glasses

8 Slay the Memory Monsters

9 Avoid Toxic People

10 Smart Shys Don’t Play Stupid Games

11 The Movie Called “Me”

12 How to Handle a Past Bummer

3 Your Three-Step Game Plan

13 Hooked on Hide-and-Seek

14 Shave Years Off Your Suffering

15 The Wacky Confidence Warm-Up

4 The Seven Best Beginner’s ShyBusters

16 It’s Show Time!

17 So Who’s the Boss Here, Your Mind or Your Body?

18 Eye Contact Made Easy

19 The Clinically Proven Cure for “No Eye Contact”

20 A Quick Smile and a Slow Jet Get You Nowhere Fast

21 Snobs Don’t Smile

22 If at First You Don’t Succeed, Swear!

5 Four Rare ShyBusters That Work Wonders!

23 The Masked Shy

24 How Can I Help You?… Help Me

25 The Out-of-Town Caper

26 Dress as Your Fantasy Person

6 For Big-Time Sufferers: Get a (New) Life

27 Just Something to Consider

7 Parties and Other Places in Hell

28 Building Up to Big Bashes

29 Don’t Growl at the Guests

30 Personality Is Catching

31 Shys and Booze Don’t Mix

8 Fearless Conversation

32 Terrified to Be Trite?

33 What If I Have Nothing to Say?

34 Your Enthralling Answer to a Clichéd Query

35 Voice Quality Counts, Too

36 So, What Do I Say Next?

37 Using Their Name Says a Lot About You

38 It’s All Sooo Predictable

39 Your Turn for the Kick-Off

40 The Final Conversational “Gotta Do”

41 Some of the Best Conversationalists Never Open Their Mouths!

42 How to Forget Being Shy

9 Eight Advanced, Sure-Fire Shy Extinguishers

43 A Dare a Day Drives Shyness Away

44 Take a Bite Out of Shyness for Lunch

45 Shop ’til You… Stamp Out Shyness

46 Let Man’s Best Friend Lend You a Paw

47 Blooper Therapy

48 The Confidence “Stage”

49 Fast Audiotrack to Confidence

10 Sex and the Single Shy

50 The Lovin’ Is Easy—It’s the Gettin’ There That’s Hard

51 No Lookin’, No Lovin’

52 Relationship Rehearsals

53 Computer Dating: A Shy’s Opportunity—or Trap?

54 Find People Who Share Your Passion

55 Two Sexy Little ShyBusters for “Almost Sures”

56 Enticing Attire for Shys

57 Don’t Mistake Sex for Love

11 For Parents and Shys Who Want to Know Why (and How to Prevent It!)

58 Born Shy?

59 Inherited Shyness?

60 Are You a Closet Extrovert or “Situational Shy”?

61 Bullies in Bygone Days?

62 Mom’s and Dad’s Overprotection?

12 Getting to Know Yourself and Love Yourself and Becoming a “Certified Sure”

63 Five Minutes a Day for a Priceless Gift

64 Graduation Day

Appendix A: Cheryl’s Full Letter

Appendix B: 100 Self-Knowledge Questions

Acknowledgments

References

Recommended Reading

Index