I am 16 and fixing to be a junior. I have many friends, but I don't really have a life. I would drive to places but my parents weren't able to take me to get my learners till about 6 months ago, So needless to day, I don't have my licsence yet . I tried even to get a group of friends to go to the mall or to the movies or whatever but as of right now, a lot of them are traveling. Also, when people I know go to hang out in groups, I don't get asked to go very much. I think this is because I am shy and no matter how outgoing I try to be, shyness seems like something that I just can't change about myself. While it's summer and my parents work during the day, I pretty much stay at home and watch T.V/ computer which is lame. Ten years from now, I want to be able to look back and remember how much fun I had in high school. But as a junior, I still haven't lived yet. I want to live sooooo bad but I feel that my shyness and insecurity is holding me back and it is beggining to depress me. I also feel like a "nobody". What should I do? Has anyone else ever felt this way?

I feel like this every single day of my life sweetheart.
A lot of people do.
Just because you don't go out everyday doesn't mean you don't have a life.
What are you really into? See if you can find people near you with the same interests or maybe even a club or group.
If you don't really have any hobbies, make up one.
Dancing is a brilliant way of meeting new people and gaining self confidence, as is acting.
Self confidence is so important, yet so hard for a lot of people to achieve.
The beginning of self confidence is smiling, even if it is just smiling at yourself in the mirror. The more you smile, the more you ooze confidence.
There must be a reason for your shyness. You need to go back to the beginning and work out what it is. Only then can you begin to overcome it.
You really need to believe in yourself, as you'll find that the people that have more confidence, tend to have a lot of friends and be invited out everywhere. I'm not saying be over confident cause then it will work in the opposite way. You need to believe in yourself, look in the mirror and say "I'm amazing! I have all the friends I need and I'm not shy!" Do it as many times a day as possible, while smiling (and i'm talking about let's see those shiny whites smile) and you'll begin to believe it.
Only when you believe it will it happen.

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Wow, thats really sound advice Bex, I would agree with all of that, self-confidence is the key, you have to love yourself.
I've struggled with confidence and insecurity alot in the past, I know exactly how you feel. You also think your the only one in the world who feels like it, that there is something wrong with you and just can't fit in. A number of things helped me, firstly talking to someone....after going through a period of dpression i was forced into it and it really helped...I also forced myself into awkward social situations, and by doing so began to make friends with people of similar interests, which led to a social life and confidence. I now feel confident in my self as a person and feel happy to be me, which is something i've never felt before until the last year or so.

I really hope it works out for you, remeber there is nothing wrong with you, and many people feel this way. Don't let it slip into depression, you have to get out there and push past your comfort zone.

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listen,its not abt self-confidance,although everythin u guys said's really important nd...TRUE,But if ur feelin "NO BODY" then no body cares abt u,but im sure ur loved..from da way u talk..,and dat's why u should be "sum1" how 2 be that?? u r already..but in body not in soul. Love suz,yeah..luv sum1 ..maybe not a gf maybe a best friend u can trust...but the point is2 love nd be loved..every1's meant 2 sombody & i know u r 2, u may feel better if some1 cared abt u more then others..like ur sum1 special in his life..hope i can help..!

ny1's here ?? cz i kinda like dis throad most!

well look here's the thing, I'm just like you!!I don't hang out with my friends very much insummer, I just stay at home and watch T.V, and I think I'm not gonna get rid of shyness!!I'm like the shiest person in the world!!I might not be shy in talking to people, but I get really nervous when asking sumone to hang out with me, cuz I think that I'm forcing my self on them!!I dunno if that's ur situation, but I'll assume it is. I think wut we need to do is to have some self esteem, to have self respect, and to appreciate our selves, and it's not like alissar said, by getting a bf or loving sum1, cz if we're gonna feel the love we're given, we need to have some self esteem, and we need to sense that we deserve this love and that this person is not lying to us!and of course everybody deserves that!!u, me and every single creature in this world!!cuz no body is better than u r, and no body is better than I am,we're all equal..
hope this helped u!best wishes!

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I LOVE LEBANON, I LOVE LIFE
God Bless Your Soul Rafiq Al Hariri
THE TRUTH الحقيقة La Verité
ADD ME: hadeel_ayoubi@hotmail.com cuz I'm always so damn bored!

Increase the amount of time you spend volunteering. Get a job. Expand on somethings you like and make them hobbies. Join political groups. The list goes on and on. Get out of the house.

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Take it easy. There are exceptions to everything I say.

Thanks for the advice! I think my shyness is due to constant fear of rejection which leads me into feeling insecure. Also, I was chubby in middle school which only lowered my self esteem even more. Now that I have lost the weight and spend more time on my physical appearance, now it just seems like I need to work on the social aspect of my life. I have improved since I have "blossomed" but I am still working on it. I do need to get out of the house more, which I will do when I get my liscence. I also feel better that I am not the only person out there feeling this way

find a party..... get warmed up to ppl and just start talkin to them. u can't be shy all the time. Just try gettin used to talkin 2 ppl.