How to Act Shy

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Sometimes you want to pretend to be someone else, or you need to project a different image of yourself for some reason... Here's how to act shy.

Steps

1. Dress shy. Your appearance will make a first impression on new people. When picking out your outfit for the day, remember that you are trying to appear shy, so you want to go very unnoticed. A plain pair of denim jeans or khaki pants, and a simple shirt... Do not over-accesorize, but don't completely skip the accessories either -- a pair of earrings or a hair clip if you're female, for example, can help you blend in with the crowd more. Keep to traditional colors, but don't overdo dark (if you're wearing a dark pair of pants, don't wear a dark top too).
   
2. Talk shy. Meaning as little as possible. Remember you are shy, so you find it hard to make conversation with strangers. Keep your voice at a slightly lower volume than normal, but don't whisper. Reply with short answers as much as possible. Don't give away too much information about yourself, but don't act too mysterious or secretive either; just omit personal details and act uncomfortable when you have to disclose some. Take your time to answer as if you are not sure what to say, or how to say it, so that you'll hit "the right answer"... or that's what you want the other person to think, anyway. Ask as few questions as possible, and make sure most of them are "returned questions" (i.e., the other person asks you something, and after your reply you add "and you?") you can also pause a bit before the returned question as if you've thought of it only as an afterthought.
   
3. Look shy. Keep eye contact to a minimum, look at the floor frequently but not for more than a couple of seconds, and blink a lot -- you are attempting to look as if you are too shy to look at the other person and you don't know what to do with your eyes.
   
4. Act shy. Body language says a lot about someone. When crossing your arms, for example, do it as if hugging yourself, trying not to look too defensive, just protective of your privacy. Don't be too serious, and when you laugh, pretend to be slightly embarrassed by the fact, but only slightly. And most importantly: avoid at all costs taking the initiative in anything.
   

Tips

• When you are pretending to be shy, you can still get a person's phone number or email address even if they don't offer it or ask for yours first, but wait until the very last moment to do it (you are, after all, waiting for the other person to take the initiative) and act embarrassed and unsure when you do it.
  
• Avoid volunteering information, but don't keep it all to yourself either.
  

Warnings

• Pretending to be someone you are not can seem like fun at first, but in the end it'll prevent you from enjoying yourself fully, and can eventually prevent you from making friends.
  
• Be sure the situation warrants your acting shy. Before setting yourself out to do it, consider why you want to do it and whether it's really necessary.
  
• When you want to stop acting shy with someone and start being yourself, make the change as gradual as possible so that the other person won't notice you've been acting before.
  
• Pretending to be someone else might make some people feel like you are lying to them and that might offend them; it's definitely not the way to make new friends and form meaningful relationships.
  
• Always make sure you're not hurting anyone's feelings.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Flirt
  
• How to Attract Friends
  
• How to Make Friends
  
• How to Talk to a Shy Person
  
• How to Overcome Shyness
  
• How to Be Shy but Not Have Low Self Esteem
  

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