Breaking Through the Silence

According to the American Psychology Association, "Shyness is the tendency to feel 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 problems in relationships and at work.

As a fifty-three year old mother of three teenagers, thirteen year old twin girls and a fourteen year old son. At the age of fifty-three I feel like my life has just begun. I had spent four decades of my life trying to overcome my extreme shyness. Shyness, throughout my life was a constant companion; we strode hand in hand, and side by side. Some would say that my shyness and I were two peas in a pod. Although, I spent four decades of my life trying to break free from my extreme shyness, this book will glimpses of my struggles and the journey to find my voice. Most people would say so what you were just shy, but what they did not know that my shyness affected almost every aspect of my life? My shyness affected my academic career early on in grade school and hung with me throughout my college career. I am a single parent and in this book I write about my experiences of being a single parent, and how I can relate to the shy child who just want to find their way and who teachers overlook sometimes because they are so quiet, but if I can just help one person by telling my stories as my experiences as a single parent and overcoming extreme shyness; then I have done what I set out to do. As you read this book you will embark on a journey that is filled with true life experiences. Although I tried throughout my life to break free from my extreme shyness, nothing I tried seemed to help. In my early elementary school years I was classified as a slow learner, shy, quiet, and reserved, but no one went beyond that assumption and noticed that l had a real problem. Extreme shyness was a problem that was crippling me socially, and academically. In junior high school my shyness was becoming more apparent to everyone that not only was I starting to be bullied, but was also labelled as being stuck up. In high school I tried to break free from my extreme shyness by reading countless books on the topic, but nothing seemed to help.

I am an aspiring teacher, published author, mother to nineteen-year-old twin girls, and a twenty-year-old son. I am currently a fourth-year student at Langston University Tulsa majoring in Elementary Education. I am currently working as a Para-professional at Tulsa Public Schools in Autism. I am currently working on my second book, and am very excited to release it to the public and inspire readers once again. My hobbies are roller skating, playing basketball, and writing!