The way I've been talking about shyness, it seems like a disease, but there are plenty of advantages to being shy:

• I can come across as quiet and mysterious, which is sexy. Besides, guys don't like girls who talk too much. It's like Ursula sings in "The Little Mermaid," "The men up there don't like a lot of blabber./ They think a girl who gossips is a bore."
• It's made me a pretty strong and independent person. I do have friends, but I love spending time with myself. I can go to a movie or concert alone and have a good time.
• I'm non-threatening. As a journalist, being shy can be a disadvantage, but at the same time, people are more likely to open up to me in interviews because I'm not scary and I'm a good listener.
• I'm super close with my family. This isn't a direct result of my shyness, but I feel like I'm the most myself when I'm with my family and I have so much fun with them. The trick is to be this open with people who aren't related to me. I'm working on that.