Battling Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is not an ordinary foe–it can be everywhere, all the time. Social anxiety can stop you from enjoying yourself, from establishing friendships, meeting with family members, and even stop you from going to work. It is a real issue for many people in today’s modern world. Here are several suggestions to help battle social anxiety:

Forget About Perfection

• We often tell ourselves that we need to be perfect to be loved or admired. This is untrue. Authentic, genuine people are appreciated by other authentic, genuine individuals. Seeking perfection causes you to be uncomfortable with yourself, from the inside out. You are frazzled, stressed out–that you have to appear a certain way before others, that you have to act a certain way, that you have to smell a certain way. Think about your favourite people to be around–are they perfect? They aren’t. Most likely you love them most because of their quirks or flaws. Remind yourself of this when the voices of social anxiety rise within you.

Embrace Your Flaws.

• We all have them. Things we would change in a heartbeat if we could. Could be our teeth, our weight, our height. Or it could be our personality traits, or weak points. You slip up every day. So do your peers. Beating yourself up every time you make a mistake isn’t going to improve your self-awareness or self-confidence. When your flaws overwhelm you with shame, try making a list of each and every aspect of yourself that you are proud of. You might just be surprised at how long that list is.

Remember: This too shall pass.

• Often social anxiety stems from a belief that instances, or experiences are going to last forever: “He will hate me until the end of time”, or “I am going to feel this way forever.” This is untrue–as life is always evolving and so are you. You are battling these issues now, but time will indeed pass. And with it will come resolution and clarity. Trust in this truth.