Navigating Shyness and Embracing Spiritual Growth

However, shyness can sometimes be very crippling, so I'm not sure it's all that fantastic. It has had an awful effect on my life throughout the years. I have far too often allowed fear to keep me from embracing life's offer. Certain individuals may find it hard to realize that I may be pretty shy at times. My comfort level in new situations has to be established before I can be completely myself. Something about me makes me seem timid. From my younger years, I've grown. Despite the fact that it might be hard for some who have witnessed me at work to comprehend, this is true. Acclimating to novel situations, others, and my own self takes time for me.
Thank God, though, these days I hardly ever have to say no to an invitation.

All people experience some kind of timidity, especially when they are first introduced to anything new, even if it has great potential but will definitely make them feel vulnerable. By the way, we are always in danger since life is fundamentally precarious. Think about how it made you feel the first time you joined a new group that you subsequently joined. It takes time to feel like you fit in and can be who you truly are. It does, at least for me.

While it's normal to feel the shaky thrill of shyness, if it takes over our lives, it can become dangerous. David Whyte defines shyness as the feeling that there is a great unknown that is about to be revealed. It's the fine and delicate line between what we think is possible and what we think we deserve. This feeling is actually quite exhilarating. There is exhilaration to look forward to there as well as fear. By itself, it's not a negative feeling.

To me, these feelings embody the essence of the spiritual path, which incidentally does not put safety first. Instead, it pushes us to face our deepest feelings and pick up new ways to communicate with others. You shouldn't feel guilty even if this can be quite daunting at times. In actuality, it is vital, healthy, and natural. It could be problematic for us and other people if we boldly enter anything without thinking first. It is vital to feel these uncomfortable emotions while we explore the amazing new truths life is revealing to us.

It is crucial to be a part of a community that guides us through these experiences and embraces us into the vast unknown that is our existence, even though we may feel alone in these feelings. There is space for shyness in the spiritual development process. Carl Gustav Jung believed that people are often classified as either introverted or extroverted. It was then determined by whether an individual was more of an extrovert—someone who gets their energy from being with other people—or introverted—someone who gets their energy from being by themselves and recuperating through solitary pursuits like reading, praying, or meditating.

Serving in the ministry and other helping professions tend to be more reserved, in my opinion. Though it's not necessarily the source of our vitality or our link to the almighty, giving to someone else gives our lives purpose and meaning. True, we all have our "peacock" times when we catch people's attention, but those are usually the calm times that bring us comfort and vigor.