Do you wish you were more outgoing?

I wish I was more outgoing. I used to say this to myself all the time while growing up. I was always told to speak up. I'm a highly sensitive introvert and struggled with shyness. But this was the message I was constantly fed. It made me feel weak. Yes, I had things to say, opinions to share. But I couldn't. Not in the way others did. Speaking up in loud groups, taking center stage, networking at every opportunity. Cold calling. This wasn't me. Not only did I struggle, I would beat myself up over it. What was wrong with me? Others could do it. Why couldn't I? I'd get overwhelmed just thinking about it. I'd shrink away. I'd lose sleep over it. No clear plan to make it better. I just wasn't good enough. Any little confidence I had would just fade away. So what happened? It wasn't until I focused on what was really important to me, the messages I needed to share and the strategies I would develop to shift my perspective and my identity, did things really change.