“Brave: A Painfully Shy Life” Helen Rivas-Rose [] Rotary Club Program

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You Tube Link:  https://youtu.be/Chq-ZAabYoo

Even world-famous performers struggle with shyness! When asked, “What are you like when you get nervous?” Adele replied, “I get fidgety, I moan, I complain, I try to escape, I try to get out.” Marilyn Monroe said, “A struggle with shyness is in every actor more than anyone can imagine.”

Nearly everyone has felt awkward, worried or tense during social encounters, especially with unfamiliar people. Severely shy people may have physical symptoms like blushing, sweating, a pounding heart or upset stomach; negative feelings about themselves; worries about how others view them; and a tendency to withdraw from social interactions.

Most people feel shy at least occasionally. Some people’s shyness is so intense, however, that it can keep them from interacting with others even when they want or need to— leading to many life problems.

The Midday Rotary Club welcomed Helen Rivas-Rose, who described her life and struggles with severe shyness. Her award-winning publication of “Brave: A Painfully Shy Life” is the powerful and illuminating account of her own severe shyness and path she took to overcome it. Helen states, “I wrote my memoir to explore the nature of severe shyness. . . . Although it was dreadfully difficult to relive the emotions, I spent nine years describing my innermost side in order to reveal the hurt, depression, . . . to illustrate the freedom my mind can now to enjoy roaming outside of the self.”

A reviewer of Helen’s memoir states, “She writes of ‘a lifetime marred by shyness’ and provides a self-help guide of sorts for overcoming it. The author has persuaded me to conclude that she has accomplished her arduous mission”

Helen declares, “Today I am no longer shy. But after that initial action of seeking help, it took me nearly twenty years of effort to become totally healthy, to direct all my attention to who and what’s before me, wasting not an ounce of energy dealing with shyness. I feel as liberated as a giant sea turtle, who after being lost on land reaches water.”

For additional information and reviews of “Brave” see http://www.shynessbook.com

Rotary is where neighbors, friends and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders and take action to create lasting change. For more information, contact President Skip Essick at skipessickmedia@gmail.com.

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