Shyness is the lowest form of Pride
Sunday, 15 April 2007by Jourdan Sebastian
How dare we to think that we are short of greatness. We are made in the image of God. To think that we are made for mediocrity is an insult to a great and living God who deposited his very likeness in everyone of us.
I don’t like it when I encounter people who shy down themselve when I talk to them. I hate it when they embrace that trait and believe it’s something to be praised.
Let’s breakdown what shyness is about. Shyness is that feeling or attitude that we have that makes us think that other people are better than us or that we are not worthy to be better than our situation, circumstance or position. I’m not sure about this definition. To be honest its been a long time since I have been shy. I actually surprised myself the other day when I realized i had not an ounce of shyness in me. Nakakatakot baka nga masyadong makapal na mukha ko.
I was in a dance studio in Davao, teaching the introductory program of ACTNOW the creative empowerment workshop I give for free. Midway into the session of around 40 students… in the height and heat of the exercises… I was approached by the head teacher of the studio and whispered something in my ear. She said, “Jourdan I’m sorry to tell you this but your fly has been open.”
To my surprise I didn’t feel a bit of shame or embarassment. Its not that i didn’t care. Its just that the workshop was going so well that i had no time to feel bad or embarassed about my fly being open. It didn’t matter. The session was not about me… the program and the session was about the bunch of kids who had big dreams in their hearts and i was there fighting for their hearts with them. I had no time to be shy about what happened. I just hope they took me seriously even if my fly was open all that time.
Shyness is a subtle form of fear and the lowest form of pride. When we are shy we are afraid to be put in the light and believe that we are not worthy enough for attention or recognition. Why not? What do othe people have that we don’t have… maybe a lot but so what!!! its not about what we have or don’t have that matters… it’s who we are that matters.
So who are we? We are all equal. I don’t care if that person has 3 houses in Forbes Park and a secret island in Palawan or if he has a chauffer driven Chedeng or a helicopter to go from his house to work… or if he has a lear jet for that matter… to my eyes and to the eyes of God and to the eyes of a little child we are all equal… lahat tayo natutulog pa rin kapag inaantok… nagbabawas pa rin kung kumakain at naliligo pa rin kung pinuputok.
It doesn’t matter really what we have achieved or what we have done or where we studied or how much we have in our bank accounts or what we are wearing or the skin of our color (pun intended)… what really matters is how we see ourselves.
I see me as beautiful. I see me as great. And I want to see you also beautiful and great. So stop standing in the shadows of shyness and come out in the light. Because in the light you will see the brilliance of God’s glory that has been always there since the time you came out of your mother’s womb.
triptickerbabe
June 25, 2007 at 1:44 am
FIRST QUOTE
“I actually surprised myself the other day when I realized i had not an ounce of shyness in me. Nakakatakot baka nga masyadong makapal na mukha ko.”
MY REPLY
well Mr. S, i have seen you in your live shows, poetry slams, plays, even on TV ads, and theres no ounce of shyness in you indeed, BUT there’s no sign of any humility as well. You come across to me and my girlfriends as a loud-mouthed, overconfident performer who thinks he’s perfect an funny. Yes you are funny but your jokes aren’t. Masyado na nga makapal mukha mo.
I have seen you around in some events and it’s like you’re so high on The Spirit youre like high on drugs as well. Too much of anything is evil, even charismatic faith i believe. God taught us about humility, please remember that. You’re like on crack or meth, talk talk talking lively but makes little or no sense.
NEXT QUOTE
“I see me as beautiful. I see me as great. And I want to see you also beautiful and great. So stop standing in the shadows of shyness and come out in the light.”
Well good for you, cause may people think otherwise, they were just being nice to you I guess,those who didn’t want to burst your bubble of confidence and pride. I too, am proud of myself but you know, we don’t all need to steal the limelight and make fools of ourselves. Its all about you you you and you when you talk, its a major turn-off, more so for us English Lit graduates and for other people who see through your act.
hope this comment helps inject a bit of shyness in you, its not a sin to shut up and re-evaluate oneself sometimes.
I once saw you perform you’re Jesus Christ Superstar poem or something. It’s the most yabang piece ive heard. Buti na lang i came across this site to say all this. Change you’re stlye, pamapasira ng trip!
Jenny Llamas
reggie :)
July 16, 2007 at 1:43 pm
hi..
“Shyness is a subtle form of fear and the lowest form of pride. .”
it hit me..i actually just auditioned for our music ministry.i’m sort of struggling with “stage fright”..but this would really help.
it’s such an eye opener..
thanks!
nicole of team 3
July 24, 2007 at 11:59 am
“To think that we are made for mediocrity is an insult to a great and living God who deposited his very likeness in everyone of us.”-thanks kuya jordan for continiously encouraging us through rehersals! your efforts has not been put to waste! your blog is an eye opener and encouraging! God bless!
Cams
July 24, 2007 at 7:11 pm
I’m a really shy person and feels like all my life, this is the one big thing that hinders me from what i want to do and im having issues because I always feel that im inferior. Thanks for the inspiring essay!
jocelyn of team 3
August 15, 2007 at 10:25 pm
kuya jourdan, thanks very much!!! actually im already living up to what you have said to us (team 3) in one of our last rehearsals… ‘kung nahihiya kayo, para ikinahihiya niyo narin ang diyos na nagbigay sa inyo ng mga talents na yan…malaking sampal sa kanya yon…’ i will never forget that! thanks again kuya
btw…such a great blog post… i myself had gone through that ‘inferiority complex’ thing… i still experience it at times, but just thinking of what God has given me it gives me a wake up call again to raise myself up from the ashes i’ve put myself into… i may not be able to be the best among the rest, but by giving my best, i am also worthy of greatness. may God be praised!
Alvin
August 16, 2007 at 7:43 am
Aun o! hehehe naiyak ako dun ha… c’mon! hehehe
ronna
August 17, 2007 at 4:01 pm
thanks for the reminder you are right..
ibyang
August 20, 2007 at 1:51 am
tugush! patama!
hbainuvy fxaeuwir
June 13, 2008 at 11:21 am
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