Are you afraid to express yourself without guidelines?
824098
No.  I can't express myself  *with*  guidelines, or at least not fully.
114185
Disinterest in the elegant subtleties of written communication, I am afraid.\n\n<sigh>
273452
Fear of rejection because everybody has their own dream of how a person should act and how they should behave.I shouldn't worry about the disapproval of others and just be free to say what want without any fear of someone disapproving of me.I get very shy around certain people because I fear that they wouldn't like my sense of humor or interest.I would be more free if I could just stop basing my sense of self on the opinions of others.
658208
remind yourself that everyone says dumb things so there is no reason for being afraid....most people are afraid to talk in front of people because they are wondering what the people are thinking of them....everyone is not perfect
301060
I'm taking an Acting for Animators class where we do improv games. The point is to say the first thing in your mind. So that is the natural you, where you can be most creative; when you express yourself as your truest nature.\n\nOften in social situations we may think something and not say it because Person X is present, or they may think I'm weird, or I'm not comfortable doing/saying that in public, or whatever.\n\nAnd often we change how we respond to people based on not what they want, but our PERCEPTION of what they want. So we are faking ourselves to even us.\n\nWhat is true chemistry between people? When they are both themselves and extremely comfortable.\n\nBut changing how you act in front of different people is not a bad thing - everyone does it to different degrees. The problem is when it bothers YOU that you can't "open up." If that's the case, then it's better to just be yourself and not worry about what others think...obviously don't say things to offend people or be rude. But beyond that, anything goes. I am me, and the world's gonna know who I am.\n\n\nWhen you open yourself up, you'll get some people who like you, and some people that don't. But this depends less on what you actually say and do. It depends more on how you actually feel about yourself. The best bet is to be yourself AND like yourself!
552150
FEAR OF SPEAKING IN PUBLIC.  This was really bad - I was even afraid of interviews (that's only one person), so I guess I was afraid of strangers, especially a whole bunch of them in an audience.  Yes, I conquered it. How?  I tried just trying to relax, think of the audience as just some people similar to me (didn't work for me.)  I was a basket case, couldn't even SIT in class and take my turn reading something out loud. Tried a tranquilizer too.  You can't fool your defense mechanism, and after a couple of years I discovered that what I was afraid of was being nervous and obvious, like shaking head, hands, weak legs, hard to talk, so that made me nervous and therefore afraid.  I went to a seminar designed to bully you into ridding your fear.  Long story short, I joined a Toastmasters' Club, shook with nervousness the first time the Table Topics leader called on me to give an opinion on the day's topic, I was so embarrassed.  But I went to all the meetings, did my speaking assignments, and overall it worked great, took about a year to gain the confidence I needed.  Won some speech contests beyond the club setting, held office in the club, and even became president.  My phobia stemmed from childhood feelings of inadequacey, inferiority, being afraid whether my mother approved of what I did.  Well, we're adults now, and have to just go forward.  Yes, I'm sure I'm not still bugged by it, because I've had plenty of experience in not being afraid. But I know what you mean.  In the beginning even after successes, I'd always think, "What if I'm afraid again?"  I would think of my successes, no matter how big or small.  Then I decided, "Well, if I do, I'll just speak anyway, the nervousness will go away and not be noticeable."  I also learned that when extremely nervous, we try to hold ourselves stiff so as not to shake, especially the head and neck.  We don't breathe enough, and that makes it worse.  Long winded, aren't I?  Just wanted to help.
820630
GUESS WHAT....I used to be like that. Until I got to high school & we had to make speaches in frount of the class, well thats was very scarey. But this was part of our assesment in some of our subjects. When that day came that we had to make the speaches I said I didnt want to do it but the teacher made me, when I was up there I was extreamly nervous & forgot what I was going to say. I know exactly how you feel. I suppose you just have to come out of your shell & be more confident.
604582
It's nothing more than forcing yourself to go talk to people. When you say you're not particularly shy, you mean you are shy but you can tolerate being around people. It's nothing more than making yourself go out and be around people and talking to them, even if you don't want to.
944949
I had been shy but I am not shy now yet, I am quiet like you so being shy is different from being quiet. I think when you have not something to talk and do not talk you are not shy and you can call yourself absolutely normal. but it sometimes occurs to me(us) that I want to start conversation with a stranger (or even a familiar person) but I can not. I think these times I am afraid not to have a good impact on him/her and be rejected. this fear is because of low self esteem  which roots in painful experiences in the past(you may remember when expressed yourself, they laughed at you).\nNow, I hope these tips be helpful for you:\n1-in such situations where you want to start a conservation, remind yourself that the pain of rejection is far less than the pain of regret. \n2-try to be a starter. do not wait for others to make conservation. I think, being a starter requires social skills which you may have not enough of it. but, the only way to acquire skills is experience .you would fail in some of these experiences and it hurt you but remember; "NO PAIN, NO GAIN".\n3-Read some books about "First Impressions". they help you to rise your self esteem.\n4-do not label yourself as shy. when you repeatedly say "I am shy" accordingly you will act like a shy person.\n5-Look at talkative persons. they usually do not care about what they say and what the effect is.I think it is better not to be too much worried about our expressions.
455814
i had this fear myself.  i took a public speaking class from a university.  speaking in front of small groups, then building up to larger groups really helped build my confidence.  speaking about something i was truly passionate about helped as well.  i constantly had to force myself to speak at some sort of public function to overcome this fear.  now i emcee large events with ease, because i have done it over and over.   if that doesn't help him, he actually may need to seek help from a professional for possible social anxity disorder.
144546
No.  If you don't have something nice to say, you should keep it to yourself and mind your own business.\nThe Bible says when we die we will have to give account for every idle word we say. How ashamed will we be at some of our careless words and gossip?
34781
not a problem friend:-)\nno matter how you prepare yourself not to act....\nyou would definitely A C T :-)\nfor, we all want to sell us. Nobody is perfect but we all are trying to ACT perfect\n:-)\nsuggestion:- don't think too much, ACT normal.
77673
That's usually called "Writer's Block", which I get here and there.  Some ways to help me loosen up is to be willing to sound like a fool, maybe think of writing something that many people would disagree with you.  Write things you're passionate about or things you hate, express your opinions rather than trying to make sense or prove something.  Keep in mind that we're all imperfect, so your readers will relate in some shape or form with what you're saying.
129098
Actually, that is not a stupid question at all.  People are always saying "be yourself," without specifying how you will know what that feels like.  It's not easy, actually, because we are influenced by so many outside forces that it is hard to know when your behavior comes from your own choices and when it comes from peer pressure, etc.  The best I can say is that as you grow older, you will detect a certain consistency in how you behave when you are in a comfortable setting, when you do not feel any pressure to be artificial.  It would be easy if "yourself" was who you were when you were alone.  But of course, you do naturally and appropriately behave differently around other people than when you are alone.  \n\nWhat can I say?  Relax!
539443
Golden rule is that there is no rule. Just be yourself express your feelings and needs in the simpliest and appropriate way, you'll do fine.
1141255
You should analyse why you are lying. Is it related with cowardliness to say true? No skills to talk openly? Shyness? Internal complexes? Some bad culture overtaken? Maybe some people ask things you should not share with them really? Only if you are not able to manage yourself you should seek psychiatrist help.
632420
If you have a relationship where you are scared to voice your opinion...then perhaps you shouldnt be in it....