7 Key Things To Tell Yourself When You Struggle With Social Anxiety

1.

Whatever situation you are in and anxious about, other people have lived the same thing- and they did survive.

2.

Aside from knowing that the people before you survived, remind yourself that that also means you are not alone. It may not feel like it, but we are all feeling the same emotions from different situations.

3.

Do not minimize your own feelings by any means, but do not forget to acknowledge the fraction of what you and the struggles you face are in this world. You are small.

4.

Give yourself permission to mentally check out. When things get too stimulating and it’s affecting you in a negative or stressful way, allow yourself to picture yourself somewhere better. Sometimes I close my eyes and pretend I am in Maui lying in the sand, concentrating on that alleviates the discomfort.

5.

Remember: “This too shall pass.” Seriously, it will. It may last longer than 5 minutes, it may even last a month but eventually reflecting on these situations will not mean feeling them too.

6.

Give yourself something to look forward to. This is similar to imagining yourself somewhere else, but it also means to set a goal for yourself, think about your weekend plans, or think about a memory that makes you feel safe. Taking a break from your current reality to envision an upcoming one helps because it’s also realistic and you can focus on the detail of it.

7.

Don’t feel bad for not being on the same page as others around you. I cannot tell you how many times I have felt guilty for not being as comfortable in unfamiliar situations as my friends. It may be annoying, but you must allow yourself to be in whatever place you are. Overcoming these challenges does not happen over night, it takes being in the place you are in without shame and then reminding yourself of where you want to go.