"my diffidence" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to a feeling of shyness or lack of confidence in oneself. It can be used in a variety of contexts, including in personal narratives, essays, and academic writing. Example: Despite my best efforts, my diffidence often held me back from speaking up in class and sharing my ideas with others.
At any rate I have lost my diffidence, my timidity, my shyness with strangers.
It was a measure of Simon's warmth and curiosity (and my diffidence, I suppose) that the initiative to meet came from him.
Noting my diffidence, speech impediment and somewhat unworldly demeanour, he said: "You know, I don't think you're a foot-in-the-door man.
Mostly on account of my diffidence, I hope that all graduate students can strive to be active participants in their research environments and educate one another by discussing their ideas, data, and questions while dispelling notions of competitiveness.
I think, however, the greater part of my diffidence stems from an awareness that whatever news might be on offer, it will be bad, or discouraging, or heartbreaking or all of these.
As I silently raged against my diffidence and fear of celebrities, I was steadily reminded by more experienced partygoers that "you have to go up there".
I don't know why this encouraged my bafflement or diffidence, but I just sat in my car waiting to be asked.
Being young and excited, and perhaps having had difficulty in tying our black ties, we were horribly late for some celebratory banquet, and I asked the old gentleman with my best British diffidence -- frightfully sorry, awful cheek, do forgive me, etc. -- if he could possibly allow us to jump the queue and take the next cab.
But over the years, I have changed my mind because such diffidence contributes to the false image of the atheist as someone whose convictions are removed from ordinary experience.
I don't know if he sensed the diffidence on my part — no, of course he did; he never missed anything — but he set me instantly at ease, and so began one of the great friendships and benisons of my life.
With what I hoped was appropriate diffidence I told him of my ambition to do what I could in life to put the two cultures back together.
