Page:Book of Etiquette, Volume 1, by Lilian Eichler.djvu/309

Rh and ill at ease in the presence of strangers, think of the words of Marden. Remember that you are one of the children of the universe, that we are all brothers and sisters, and that you have as much right to assert yourself as any other man or woman in the world. And when you finally do overcome your timidity you will find that you have acquired a splendid new grace and charm of manner.

Do not have the mistaken idea that confidence in oneself, lack of self-consciousness, is conceit. As a matter of fact, it is much better to be shy and self-conscious than to be a pert, aggressive egotist.

The first lesson to learn, in your crusade against self-consciousness, is that you must not be ashamed of your shyness. That will make you even more conscious of yourself. Forget that you are shy. Or if you cannot forget, tell yourself that it is better to be reserved and modest than to be conceited and aggressive. Do not shrink from strangers, but meet them and talk to them as though they were your brothers, or sisters. Treat everyone like an equal, but do not treat yourself as an inferior.

Self-confidence is what makes success, whether it is in the social world or the business world. It was self-confidence that helped Edison with each new invention. It was self-confidence that enabled Madame Marie Curie, penniless and obscure, to discover radium, the greatest and most wonderful metal in the world. All achievement is founded on self-confidence—not of the aggressive sort, but of the quiet, calm, unassuming sort that is so easy to develop if one will only try.