11 Struggles Of Being A Shy Person With A Loud Voice

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You’re shy. Your voice is loud. Welcome to the wonderful world of contradictions, have a seat and listen to a few of the worst parts of having an attention-grabbing voice and a small, or totally non-existent, desire to go out of your way to get any attention whatsoever.

1. Everyone tells you to be quiet.

And then you’re scared to ever talk again.

2. People ask “why are you yelling?”

And you’re confused because you literally only yell when you’re terrified.

3. Everyone says they can hear and recognize your voice from a mile away.

*Cue impulse to never leave the house and speak in public again*

4. People say you have a “distinct” voice.

And you feel like that clearly means “terrible, annoying, and grating, and you should never talk again.”

5. People overhear you and then join your private conversations.

And you’re immediately horrified at the fact that you now have to deal with a stranger and somehow try to stealthily change the subject, which is basically the House of Cards murder plot next level crisis for a shy person.

6. Your whispering isn’t whispering at all.

And everyone gets mad at you for it, so then you try to talk in even more of a whisper, and then it just turns out like some weird raspy old person imitation and everyone thinks you’re weird.

7. Your laugh is the opposite of contagious.

It’s unsettling. Like, it shuts down funny moments. So you end up cupping your hand over your mouth every time you laugh to avoid the attention, and people ask if something is wrong with your teeth or if you feel sick.

8. Public speaking is like the gauntlet of all of the worst struggles put together.

Control your voice, but still be loud enough that people can hear you, but don’t talk louder or faster because you’re nervous, but make sure you make eye contact, but also don’t make too much eye contact, and never forget the topic of your speech. Easy, right?

9. Conversations in crowded places turn into screaming matches, real fast.

Everyone around you is yelling, and you’re trying not to yell, but you also need to yell a little louder than the person next to you. So you try. And you fail. And then everyone is screaming, and the night has quickly devolved into a scene from the horror movie that is going out to clubs. Nightlife on Elm Street? No? Sorry.

10. People just think you’re an asshole in general.

Because honestly? Loud people are often assholes. Think about sports fans. Have you ever hear a loud fan in a bar and just wanted sports not to exist, just so that person didn’t have anything to keep talking about? Yeah, you often feel like people think you are friends with that guy. And you hate that guy.

11. The internal struggle of being shy but actually being perceived as an outgoing so bad, and then wanting to be outgoing so bad, but not really being able to be anything but yourself.

People expect you to be extroverted and totally down to talk to anyone. Your voice betrays your character and it is the worst struggle of them all.