Wherein Danielle LaPorte states the obvious.

That image is from a screenshot of Danielle’s site. You can read her entire post here.

I tell ya. I’ve been looking for ways to break out of my shell. One of the things that’s kept me from making more videos and podcasts is the fact that I’m often socially awkward. I’m definitely afraid of public speaking, or speaking up in general.

(If we’re friends IRL, then bless you. You’re one of the few people that I feel truly comfortable communicating with. Because otherwise, I think I’m a disaster.)

I’ve been thinking about how to do a better job of getting my point across. Friends like Lisa know my struggle. A little while ago she sent me this awesome blog post.

The point is that I know I need to do a better job of expressing myself. I’m over 30, and I’m tired of being bound by self-imposed chains.

That’s why I’m glad that Danielle always keeps it real on her blog.

The other day in my inbox I received a bulletin for…I think they called it a confidence seminar. I can’t remember the exact cost. But believe me when I tell you that it was over $100 per ticket.

(I don’t mean to disrespect people who need to attend these type of events. I mean, honestly. I’m a part of their target audience.)

But you know what’s a whole lot cheaper than a seminar?

PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE.

Get out of the house. Force yourself to socialize with people. Look at your community’s events calendar. Find groups of folks who are getting together and doing activities that interest you.

I’ve started going to church again. And I’m not going to lie. While the the spiritual aspects touch me, I really could use the social interaction.

Overall, though, I don’t mean to be disrespectful. There are people who need a mental awakening in order to improve their mental health.

Interestingly enough, I grew up in a denomination whose forefathers frowned on psychology. To this day I wonder why. The fact is that some people need prompting from others in order to see their circumstances clearly. At the same time, I think that we humans need to be careful. Many of us have become a little too addicted to turning to others to solve our problems.

That’s why I think it’s important to proceed with caution. Quite often people can improve themselves simply by tweaking their routines and stepping outside of the box.