So many people have or have had trouble with social anxiety. It’s uncomfortable. It can make interactions of all kinds uncomfortable. If you’ve got it, I’m here to help you beat it. Here are 5 steps to overcome social anxiety once and for all.
5 steps to overcome social anxiety
Social anxiety can be a crippling thing to live with. It can keep you from experiencing so much, it can affect your productivity, and just leave you feeling unhappy.
1. Make yourself do what makes you anxious
This seems like an obvious one. But it requires understanding what triggers your anxiety. If talking to a waiter or making eye contact with the cashier makes you sweat, do it more. Practice doing whatever makes you anxious. Push yourself. The more you do this, the more comfortable you’ll become, and eventually, you won’t become anxious in these sorts of situations.
2. Create goals for yourself
Goals can be powerful motivators. Make a goal. If, for example, your conversations only typically last 30 seconds, set a goal to make them last a minute and a half. Setting realistic goals like this can really help you to flush out your social anxieties.
3. Do things alone
Maybe you’re always with your friends, but simply cannot be around strangers. Change that. Start going to events and get-togethers without your friends. This will push you, and force you to get more comfortable with strangers.
4. Stop avoiding situations
You can’t overcome what you avoid. You need to stop hiding from what triggers you, and just dive into life. You’ll thank yourself later for making yourself momentarily uncomfortable.
5. Relax
Practice deep breathing. Practice meditation. Something that always has calmed me is reading the Psalms. Or maybe listening to music might help you. When your anxiety flares up, relax, get it under control, and then go back to what you were doing, don’t run from it.
I really hope these things help you in your journey of overcoming social anxiety. God bless.