How to Be Less Self-conscious

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Self-consciousness and motivation - getting a partner

pets, partners, self-consciousness
Running Together
I wrote some of this in answer to a previous question on Quora, "How can a person become less self conscious and gain more confidence?"  One way that I highly recommend is to run with a partner. He or she or it (a pet works too) will help to take your mind off yourself. If the partner can talk, even better. Just watching out for the partner will help you to be less self-conscious and might even make you a better runner.

Benefits of a talking partner
  1. Advice related to the activity
  2. General life advice
  3. Encouragement
  4. Competition
  5. Practice negotiation
  6. Familiarity
  7. Empathy
  8. Shift of focus from inward to outward 
If your partner can talk to you, you will find them a generous source of advice about whatever activity you are sharing.  After your mutual efforts together, you might find them also to be a good source of advice on more general topics. Your partner can encourage you, compete with you, and negotiate with you.  After a period of time to get familiar with you and empathize with you, your partner may be able to see a difficult situation happening to you, a form of early detection.  You can do the same for them.

Benefits of a non-talking partner

  1. Unqualified acceptance
  2. Superior willingness, even if conditions are unfavorable
  3. Usually let you make all the decisions
  4. Familiarity
  5. Empathy
  6. Shift of focus from inward to outward 
If you adopt a pet as a partner, you will most likely receive unqualified love from the pet.  This includes acceptance and willingness to let you be the boss.  You will become quite aware of and begin to think about the pet's well-being more than your own. Given all of these potential benefits, it is surprising that so many people  "go it alone."
 
In either case, having a partner is one form of external motivation, which is the key to getting your "mojo workin'"    It is an example of using a friend as an external motivator.   Doing something with a partner is a two-way street.  Your focus will shift to your partner's performance automatically, lessening your self-consciousness.  If you are compatible, you might even find yourself taking some responsibility for your partner.  That's a good thing.

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