Dear Vegas101:

My answer is: a combination of INSIGHT into the past and PRACTICE of skills.

Insight into the past: when did this start, who criticized you repeatedly when you were a child? Who disapproved of you, made you feel you are not okay just being yourself? Best you remember, when in your life did it start, this second guessing? Fear of having said or done something wrong, something that will be disapproved by another?

Practice: Every step you take, alone and in social situations, practice paying attention, being mindful to how you operate and how you would like to operate instead, being authentic, true to yourself instead of being overly cautious and unauthentic; being assertive, not passive or aggressive; and more.

Waiting for your reply.

anita