There is often a negative stigma associated with people who suffer with shyness. They can often be viewed by others as unsociable outcasts with some sort of mental problem. The truth is, many people experience shyness at some point during their lives - even famous celebrities!

For shy people willing to take action the problem can be gradually overcome. However, action is the key and the shy person must face up to their fears and tackle the problem head on. If shyness is not addressed at the earliest opportunity, severe consequences to ones long term happiness and enjoyment of life can result.

For the shy person, facing up to the problem and taking action can be daunting. The best approach is to take things one step at a time. This way confidence and self esteem grows gradually through experience and the shy person is then better prepared to move on to the next step.

For the shy person that finds it awkward to interact with other people, but wishes to make more friends and possible romantic encounters, then developing social skills would be the perfect place to start.

So what can be done to develop social skills?

• Learn how to interpret body language and non verbal signals. Experts believe that the majority of communication between people is non verbal. The shy person needs to work on their own body language in order to project a friendly and approachable image.

• Observe other peoples body language. Look for open positive signals that show a person may welcome an approach and conversation. If you are able to spot open signals, and at the same time project a friendly positive image through your own body language, you have a better chance of success.

• Make eye contact and smile! Eye contact projects a positive image and we all know that smiling is contagious!

• If you want to start a conversation with someone unfamiliar, simply smile and say "hi" whilst making eye contact. For the shy person, this is the perfect way to start. It will probably seem hard and daunting at first, speaking to strangers, but with practise and experience it will get easier. So, when going about your daily business say "hi" to someone new whenever you have the opportunity.

• Learn to actively listen. This is harder than it seems as most people tend to talk more than they listen, but if you're shy then this shouldn't be a problem! Listening to the other person shows interest - an important key social skill.

So, if shy people do not take action to overcome their shyness they can miss out on all sorts of exciting opportunities. Shyness could prevent them from finding a romantic partner, making lots of genuine friends and progressing at work. This can have a detrimental effect on long term happiness.

However, by working on social skills and facing their fears head on, shy people can gradually build their confidence and develop their self esteem to overcome shyness. Developing social skills to overcome shyness will open up many exciting opportunities. Remember, life is for living so don't waste it - take action today!