SOMETHING PERSONAL

Mar 04, 2008 - 18:50 PM PST

One of the most important and intimate things I can share about myself is that I was painfully shy most of my life. Actually ... I just thought I was shy because that's what people told me and I didn't know any better. All I knew for sure was that something wasn't right and I didn't like it. I was about 55 years old when I figured out (with a little help from a shrink) that it isn't shyness at all ... it's some kind of social anxiety disorder. Now I know that I don't have to be that way and I'm learning how to change. I'm alot more outgoing, friendlier, accepting of myself and others, less afraid and happier than I've ever been. One of the things I learned is that I wasn't afraid of people, I was afraid of the way I felt in certain social situations. One of the differences between the way I was and the way I am now is that now I have a choice. I can choose whether I want to be with people or not. And in the process, I've learned who I really am and the kind of person I want to be. If I could go back and do it again, that's one thing I wouldn't change because of what I've learned about myself, other people and life.

What's really cool is no matter how often I think about this stuff and talk about it, it makes me feel good ... about me. 

Thanks for listening,

Dennis