Were You A Shy and Reserved Child, or Were You Very Confident and Outgoing?

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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USA
When you were a child, were you shy and reserved, or very confident and outgoing? Also, has that same personality followed you into adulthood?

I was pretty shy as a child, but not overly. I participated in games, etc., but I was never the loud leader who confidently spoke to everyone as a group and had no problems talking freely with anyone about anything. I have to say I'm the same as an adult, will be at a party for example, but not be chatting with everyone there, and making the rounds as a social butterfly. Some people do that very naturally, I'm not one of them. I also tend to just have a couple of close friends, not a large group of them.

How about you, reserved or outgoing??
 

You're on a personality kick lately! ;)

Hard to say on this one - in some ways I was a total extrovert, but in other ways I was already a monk. As a child I never wanted to be the leader, whether it was sports or in the classroom or just hanging out with my friends. I was always content to stay in the background.

Yet I ended up running several martial arts schools, situations where I was the de facto leader not only of the students but also of their teachers. I was the one that gave speeches, awarded promotions and did all the public exhibitions.

I also, for a time, got into amateur theater and the whole Renaissance Pirate thing, perhaps the ultimate examples of being out-going.

Go figure ... :pride:
 
I was a fairly obnoxious teenager; I thought I was cleverer than I was, and better at most things!

I partied, and enjoyed myself.

But as I got older, I realised that I wasn't as clever as I thought, or as funny, so became quite withdrawn, and cynical; probably as a defence.

I am trying to run the middle ground now....
 

I was reserved as a child liking my own company and not wanting to make close friends, nothing has changed in that respect. However, I have never been shy and certainly not backward in coming forward if I have an opinion about something. Strangers would have no idea I am reserved, as I appear friendly and can chat for the universe.:D I have no problem appearing before an audience, when I give talks, or the times I have appeared on TV, and in one or two documentary films. I am at my most comfortable when I can shut myself away from everyone and can be alone doing my own thing.
 
I was a very, very shy child. In school, I let my creative side take over and would often write stories to read to the class. Big hit! In high school, performed at assemblies and . . . remember hootenannies?. As an adult, I'm still shy but step out and just push the fear aside.
 
Justme said:
I was reserved as a child liking my own company and not wanting to make close friends, nothing has changed in that respect. However, I have never been shy and certainly not backward in coming forward if I have an opinion about something. Strangers would have no idea I am reserved, as I appear friendly and can chat for the universe.:D I have no problem appearing before an audience, when I give talks, or the times I have appeared on TV, and in one or two documentary films. I am at my most comfortable when I can shut myself away from everyone and can be alone doing my own thing.
Click to expand...

Wow Justme, you've also been on TV? I have to say that I was a union shop steward where I worked, so there were times when I counseled and spoke in front of large groups of coworkers and others. Also was a lead-person, so was effective in showing certain employees who to do things, and guide them in the best ways to follow through. I don't mind being alone either, figure it's guaranteed I'm in good company that way. :playful:
 
I was very much reserved, but it didn't last long.

Started coming out of my shell in my junior-high years, and by my senior-high years, I had shed that old reserved shell for the most part.
 
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I was shy and intimidated. I was sent to school way too young and couldn't deal with all the yelling, screaming, punching and kicking kids. I reacted so badly I was taken out of that school. Kindergarten was better and I really started to blossom and explore.

Then came parochial school. I thought the nuns were weird and sadistic and one of them picked on me mercilessly. I developed health issues. I threw up in class a lot. I wanted to go back to public school but my parents wouldn't let me. This taught me a bad life lesson - getting physically sick gets you out of doing things you don't want to do. I spent 7 years getting sick almost everyday and became what one would call, delicate.

I survived there til the eighth grade when my hormones kicked in and I suddenly became pretty. Overnight, I became a normal happy popular kid, invited to all the parties and I was hardly ever home anymore. I was no longer shy and no longer sick. I was just so happy to feel healthy and part of something.

Jr. high and high school were a total blast.

I think my personality is enigmatic, or, so I've been told. People will think they've got me figured out, but I can't be confined or bossed or placed in any category. My childhood experiences have made me original and content to be so.

Now I like to probe, question, investigate and I am picky about close friends but can have a sparkling conversation with total strangers. :giggle: I enjoy people, so my positive childhood experiences finally outweighed the negative ones.
 
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I suspect that my teachers, and those of my siblings, knew something wasn't right at home. However, in those days, one could say "don't ask, don't tell" prevailed with regard to family life. Everything was "hunkey dorey", the war was won and American was flying high.

Tony
 
Like a few others, painfully shy. And my husband is worse. I think we’ll suffer from FOGO in a few months.

Fear of Going Out, just in case you haven’t heard this one.
 

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