Do you consider yourself a shy person?  How often have you encountered someone you might be interested in, but did not approach them because of fear of being judged?

Or if you did muster up enough courage to approach  a woman, you found yourself tongue-tied and flustered?

Many men cite shyness as one of the main causes for their lack of success in dating. 

Okay, here's the bad news.  When you are shy about approaching a woman you might be interested in, she has no way of knowing that you are just being timid.  The hard truth is that shyness is often misinterpreted as:

• being aloof
• arrogance
• being just plain creepy, as in stalker creepy

However, the good news is that you don't have to continue to allow shyness to hinder your dating life. There are ways to overcome it.

First, let's examine one of root causes of shyness in most people.  Shyness often stems from self-esteem issues. You don't feel you measure up.  You constantly compare yourself to others - and find yourself lacking. Your self-confidence is extremely low.

Shyness might seem harmless, but it can make getting to know someone extremely difficult. This is due to the "mental stories" that you have going on in your head. Thoughts such as "she may not like me because I'm too short, bald, etc."  are often baseless and only serve to hold you back. 

The following are some helpful tips you can use to overcome dating shyness:

• First, realize that you have the power within yourself to change. Once you accept this realization, the catalyst for overcoming shyness is unleashed. 

• Next, counter negative thoughts of unworthiness, inferiority and fear with positive, self-affirming mental images.  If you need help with this, there are countless books and other resources to help you. The key is to realize that you can make a conscious decision to change the focus of what you think about.

• Learn to become more comfortable in your own skin.  If you are constantly worried about what others think of you, stop!  Consider this: often the most confident people aren't always the prettiest or the most handsome. They are the folks who are truly comfortable with who they are, and could care less about what others think of them.  This trait is extremely attractive.

• Overcome your fear of approaching women with practice.  Practice small talk with that person in the elevator, or the cashier at the grocery store. Start conversations by asking genuine questions, or pay a sincere complement. The goal is to just start. The more practice you have in talking to others, the less intimidation you will feel.

 Finally, please remember that you don't have to let shyness continue to hinder your love life. It may seem daunting at first, but it can be overcome. It just takes the will to change. Let today be your day.

What are your feelings about the impact that shyness has on dating?