Overcoming shyness may be a challenging feat especially if you were naturally shy as a kid or as a teenager. Although you can never really overcome shyness completely, you can at least minimize it. Here are some quick tips on how you can do so:

A Strong Visual Image

Most people tend to be shy when they are unsure of what to do or what to say in a given situation. The solution is to simply prepare for it. Visualize in your mind what you think is likely to happen on your date and prepare for the things you should say or do.

Be Interesting

Being an interesting person isn't really something you can do over night. What you need to do is get involved with your community, join organizations, do better at work, or get yourself a good hobby. The rationale is that if you find something interesting to talk about yourself, which you can be highly proud of, then that would give you more confidence to go out there and consequently overcome your shyness.

Make Eye Contact

Wandering eyes can mean uneasiness and shyness. It may seem hard at first but you really need to establish eye contact with the person you are talking with. As a timid person, the first few minutes may seem awkward for you – but you will eventually feel comfortable as the minutes pass by. If you are talking, grinning and meeting a person's eye after a couple of minutes – congratulations, you are effectively overcoming your shyness.

Be Yourself

Some people have a misconception about alcohol and overcoming shyness. Don't try to get drunk thinking that it is the only way to overcome your shyness – it usually does more harm than good. Always be yourself and try to reveal your personality to the person you are dating. If you are a naturally shy person, then so be it – it's better than pretending to be someone you are not. It is always rewarding to know a person likes you entirely for who you are, shy or not.