It’s Friday morning. My coffee is hot and entirely too strong. I use Deathwish Coffee which has enough caffeine to kill a bevy of otters. It claims to be the strongest coffee in the world. Sign me up.
I have been walking upon waking lately. Forty minutes to be exact. With a weight vest. I also ate a pint of ice cream last night so don’t think I am some TikTok fitness influencer. God help me.
After my walk, I sat in my favorite chair and wrote in my hot pink journal. My thinking time. I think you should think about the things I was thinking so think about this. How does one who is shy become unshy?
I am shy. I want to be unshy.
Next, I drew a chart of what I think are the three most important things in the world.
Love. Money. Adventure.
Next, I contemplated how I am doing so far this year in those three buckets. Not bad, I contemplated. Contemplating is fun. Sometimes.
I am doing slightly better at love and making a little money. Furthermore, I drank a horrible daiquiri at the bar where Ernest Hemingway wrote in Cuba a couple of weeks ago which was fun. I am also going to India next month to find the origin of the infamous hippie trail of the 1970s. I love hippies.
However, I am far from perfect so I have a call today at 2 pm with a potential therapist. Awkward. I am not sure if I believe in therapy. It’s cute but does it change people? Perhaps. If so, which brand of therapy is the best? Hypnotherapy, psychedelic therapy, talk therapy, inter family systems therapy, gastalt therapy, somatic therapy, EMDR therapy, ketamine therapy, shock therapy, blah, blah, blah therapy?
I bet I don’t sign up. Therapy steals money from bucket number two, money.
Americans sure love therapy though. BetterHelp, the Kmart of therapy, spent more money advertising on podcasts than any other business last year. Specifically, they spent 60 million dollars on podcast advertising last year. Rich.
Perhaps the real secret is to love your life. People that love their lives are probably not using BetterHelp. If we focus on creating a life we love, everything else will probably work. Love, money, adventure.
Do you love your life?
Trey
Oh, since I am a psychopath, I asked ChatGPT how I could overcome shyness. Here is what the robot said…
Becoming less shy can be a gradual process, but here are some tips that might help:
Start small: Begin by practicing in situations that feel safe, like with a close friend or family member. Gradually, you can start to branch out and practice in situations that are more challenging.
Set small goals: Set achievable goals for yourself, like speaking up in a meeting or starting a conversation with someone new. As you achieve these goals, you'll gain confidence and be more likely to take on bigger challenges.
Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings and learn to manage them. This can help you feel more in control in social situations.
Challenge negative thoughts: Shyness often comes with negative self-talk, such as "I'm not good enough" or "Nobody likes me." Challenge these thoughts by asking yourself if they're really true and looking for evidence to the contrary.
Seek support: Consider seeking support from a therapist or counselor who can help you work through your shyness and develop strategies for coping with social anxiety.
Remember, everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and shyness is just one aspect of your personality. By practicing these strategies and being patient with yourself, you can become more confident and comfortable in social situations over time.