How To Break Out Of My Shell? (5 Tips)

This article will give readers tips on how to get out of their shell and be more comfortable with their surroundings! It will highlight what people are like when they are in their shells and what wrong beliefs they have. Also, the article will cite the differences between introverts and people who are just plain shy!

How to Break Out Of Your Shell?

There are a number of ways you break out of your shell like:

• Initiate Conversations
• Talk in Front of the Mirror
• Be Confident
• Learn More
• Be Approachable

Before we take a look at how to implement the above tips, we will explain what exactly it means to be in your shell and how is it different from being an introvert!

What Does It Mean To Be In Your Shell – An Introvert?

Being in your shell does not mean you are introvert and this is a widely misheld belief amongst people. Being in your shell means you are not comfortable in either manner – either being with others or even alone. Why? It is probably because you are actually an extrovert who is shy around others. 

Introverts, on the other hand, are actually introverts! They prefer being alone because not only do they like it but it allows them to regain their social battery and focus on the things that are important to them in a more productive manner. Oftentime, an introvert actually has great people skills – their interpersonal skills are so polished that although they prefer being alone they can still converse efficiently with others and manage themselves institutions they generally do not want to be in.

What Is Right & Wrong?

Why is it okay to be an introvert who prefers solitude mostly rather than an individual who is cozy inside their shell. It is all about being comfortable as a person and setting your goals according to your potential.

Introverts are comfortable with being alone; not only are they comfortable but it gives them peace and allows them to work in a productive manner. On the other hand, the person who is shut up inside their shell isn’t shut their for a reason. There is something that bothers them about their normal environment. They are definitely not introverts who work perfectly fine in their own place. They, however, do realize that they belong in an open setting around others but something stops them! What is this something? We will examine it in later sections of the article.

How to Get Out of Your Shell?

There are a number of tips to get out of that shell you have been in for so long! We will now explore each way that has been highlighted above in the article:

Initiate Conversations

Although this may be a big leap for some, initiating conversations with others can help you get out of your shell. If it is difficult then take baby steps. We live in a time where there are different mediums of conversation – it wasn’t always like this. You can join chat rooms where you can only focus on what you say and not how you look or sound. This will at least help you gather the courage to say what you want and participate in conversations. It will help you develop the confidence that people will listen to you and you can actually contribute to discussions in a positive manner. Just please be sure to not be surrounded by toxic people!

In case you feel more comfortable and are not shut away in the deepest corner of your shell; take one step more. If you think you lack confidence to communicate in a real physical setting and do not feel as comfortable as you should then try and hit up conversations with people around you. 

However, be careful, sometimes everyone is not in the mood to talk or is not as nice or friendly as you may want them to be. It is better to interact with people you know and then move on to strangers – like someone in a waiting room. This is just for practice purposes!

Talk In Front of the Mirror

Yes talking in front of the mirror actually helps. It may take a lot of work such as your throat drying up or you getting tired of standing and observing yourself. But it can make you feel very confident because now you are aware of your look while talking.

You can also determine how you stand or behave in a conversation. Sometimes people feel they do not know how to present themselves in a conversation hence they experience lower confidence that prevents them from focusing on interacting with others.

So next time before you have to engage in a formal discussion, talk aloud in front of the mirror; it will give you a confidence boost and help you have a better grasp on what you will say and what points you will convey.

Be Confident

It is important to be confident in order to be able to get out of your shell. One thing that greatly boosts your confidence is how you appear to others. You must dress in a presentable manner that is well suited for the occasion; it will help you feel secure in the sense that no one will judge you for your wear and you will be able to focus more on what is going on rather than worrying if you are dressed properly or not.

Being dressed properly and looking nice and presentable sends a message of control to the other person; if they view you as someone who is managed and well dressed, they will consider you as a person that knows what they are doing and will converse in a more cautious manner. 

Just imagine if you didn’t have time to get dressed for a meeting; your clothes are not at all ironed and you forgot to put on your perfume – worst, you wore the wrong shirt with your dress pants. It makes you feel insecure and unpresentable. Not to say dressing is all that determines your confidence – some people may be underdressed for the occasion and do perfectly fine. Remember, we are just trying to help you get out of your shell and this tip may do the trick!

Learn More

Having sufficient knowledge not only puts you in a position of power but makes you feel confident as you know what you are saying and can easily contribute in a conversation or give a powerful reply to someone’s question or criticism. So make sure that you know enough before you speak.

If you think you do not know enough, it is better to stay quiet because you might mess up in a conversation and your confidence will plummet further. So ask questions instead. Read books, understand people and try to determine what it is they will talk about before engaging with them.

Be Approachable

Have you ever thought that the problem may be with you? Sometimes a person can be difficult to approach and this is why others may actually feel uncomfortable with you. The effect? You will feel even more uncomfortable because of how they act – even though it is not entirely their fault. So what can you do?

It is important that you appear approachable to others. If you have a tensed expression on your face, sit in the far away corner of the cafeteria or are always looking for ways to run away from a social gathering, chances are people will not want to be around you.

The Wrong Beliefs of Shell Inhabitants

What wrong beliefs do people have when they prefer to stay inside their shell rather than come out and face the world? Here are some of those beliefs:

• People will judge them
• They won’t be able to add to conversations
• They look dumb when trying to convey their point
• Confidence is something they will always lack
• It’s better to be inside their shell than outside
• People are different from them

It is important that the person who is stuck inside their shell works on correcting these beliefs – they should think more positively. How can they do that? They need to work on the tips recommended in this article and have a positive outlook in life; by working on cognitive and behavioral elements can they truly crack open their shell and get out!

Conclusion

This article highlighted how a person stuck inside their shell can get out so they can interact in a more smooth and efficient manner with their surroundings. Furthermore, the article highlighted the differences between an introvert and a person stuck in a shell and what these beliefs these people have.

References

https://www.wikihow.com/Come-out-of-One%27s-Shell

https://anxiety-gone.com/break-social-anxiety-shell/

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-break-out-of-your-shell-at-school