Get Used to Working With the Public if You Are Shy

Being shy can be difficult, especially in the work environment. Follow some of these simple steps to help improve your social interactions, and decrease shyness in the workplace.

Relax! Remember, stress and fear will only hinder your ability to present yourself as a strong and confident person. If you need help relaxing, try some breathing exercises or meditation. Personal Appearance: Make sure that your wardrobe is professional, and well kept. People find it easier to interact with someone who promotes a positive self-image. Make Eye Contact. When speaking to a customer or co-worker, eye contact is essential to help maintain a good rapport. It shows respect, and helps establish trust. Smile. When we smile, it presents us to the world in a very non-threatening, helpful way. People will respond much more positively to a person who is smiling, than not. Be yourself. The problem most people have with social interactions in the workplace is lack of self-confidence. They are afraid to be themselves, for fear that they will be rejected on some level. Just be yourself, while trying to maintain a professional attitude at the same time.

Try to be helpful not only to customers, but also to fellow co-workers. A positive, helpful attitude goes a long way for office popularity. Maintain a professional attitude. It's good to be relaxed and pleasant in the work environment, but don't take it too far. It's one thing to be witty in the break room, but quite another to be loud, boisterous, and unprofessional. Get involved. It's hard to jump into social situations, but try to get involved as much as you feel comfortable with. Show up to the team builder, go out to happy hour with your co-workers...be a team player.

Strangely enough pretending you are not shy is rather effective - walk into a room and say hi to everyone while smiling.. if you blush nobody will notice much anyway! and soon nobody will even remember you as a shy person - believe me this works! I am a naturally shy person but I am so good at pretending not to be shy that nobody believes me if I say I am shy. Also if you work with or know someone with a charismatic friendly personality, pretend you are them. Envision & practice. Working next to others with outgoing personalities can be contagious just like smiling. Use this to your advantage.
Practice telling yourself that everyone loves you & you love people. Envision them smiling with warm feelings toward you, likewise back. It will get you in the mood to open up & relax.

Do not fall into the trap of "Office Gossip". Speaking in a negative way about your co-workers will do nothing to help your situation.
Do not be so socially aggressive, as to disturb the people you work with, or the customers you interact with. Try to find a happy medium between politeness and business interactions.