7 Ways To Kick Your Social Anxiety To The Curb
1. Identify it
You have to acknowledge your anxiety in order to move past it. The first step on the road to healing is being able to identify when we are feeling, however, we are feeling.
2. Be willing to engage despite fear of rejection
For me and a lot of other people I know who struggle with social anxiety, the struggle is in the rejection piece that it brings up. Sometimes we are fearful that if we say something, no one will find it funny. If we go up and talk to that girl we met early on in College, she won’t remember us and we will be embarrassed. No matter what the case is, our desire to connect + be open + honor our authenticity, has to be bigger than the fear and scarcity that comes from being rejected.
3. Acknowledge who you are
When we are dealing with the fear of rejection or disapproval in the midst of a social situation, it’s important to really recognize who we are as people. For an example, if that girl from College doesn’t remember you, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Remember that what YOU tell yourself, isn’t always what others are actually thinking. It’s CRUCIAL to remember who we are, and to know that that doesn’t change even if we don’t get responses that we want.
4. Remember that what you are feeling isn’t real
Your anxiety deserves to be validated, yes. Your anxiety speaks the truth so you should believe it and live it out, abso-freaking-lutely NOT. Anxiety is fear based. And fear is an illusion, it’s not real.
5. Think of it as your teacher
Think of every uncomfortable situation you are ever in as a teacher. Think that whatever you are going through is benefiting you in some way. We have to believe we are enduring hardships for our greater good in order for them to actually work for our greater good.
6. Give yourself permission to take up space
Newsflash: you are allowed to be. You are allowed to talk to people, to laugh loudly, to ask intricate questions, to walk past people and say “excuse me”, you are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to make room for yourself.
7. Ground yourself
Be so rooted in YOU, that others can barely cause waves in your world. Know what you want, the kind of friends you are seeking, the conversations that you need to have, remember your standards, and honor your inner self. When you are so rooted in your own body, it’s so much harder for what feels like chaos to shake you. 
