Social anxiety is a very common disorder. It can be debilitating, making it difficult to work, attend public events, or hold down a relationship. Yet the good news is that its effects are largely recoverable by reprogramming your thoughts and shifting to positive self-talk.
Shift negative thoughts to positives.
Studies show that the act of shifting our thoughts from one perspective to another will actually shift the way we feel about ourselves and our abilities. For example, if you have an experience where you think "I'm not good at trying new things" - try reframing this thought as "I am willing to try new things. I'm just not good at them yet." You can do this for any negative thought that you experience. The key is to reframe the thought so that it becomes positive and shifts your perspective about yourself and your abilities.
Spend time with people who are like you.
More confident people tend to hang out with other more confident people, and this has a positive effect on both of them. If you spend time around others who have similar interests as you, they will likely remind you that there are others out there like you and it will be easier for you to identify with them than with those who are dissimilar to yourself.
Believe in yourself.
You can change how you feel by taking the time to look at your strengths and appraising them honestly. Once you do this, it will be easier to identify your talents and most important traits until you can believe in yourself more.
Focus on what you have rather than what you lack.
When we focus on our strengths, we tend to feel satisfied and happy, which makes us content. Focusing on our weaknesses will only make us more angry and depressed. In addition, it's important to remember that all of us have flaws, so we should be focusing on what is positive rather than what is lacking from ourselves.
Become more assertive.
Constantly staying in a lower, passive state will make you feel less confident and more strained. Once you have become more assertive, it will improve your confidence and help you to feel happier. It's also important to note that the act of becoming more assertive is connected with improved confidence and happiness.
Take any negative thoughts that you currently have and question them.
Think about it and ask yourself whether it really is true or not. Is this really what's bothering you? Or is this a perception you believe because it's easy to believe? Why do you believe this particular thought? Is there another perspective to consider instead? It's also important to know how these negative thoughts are actually affecting you, which isn't always possible.
Ask yourself why you feel the way you do.
Is it really a good reason to feel this way? Or rather is it because of a habit that you've developed? It's important to understand how the way you think affects the way you feel, which can be an awareness of your current state and a call to action.
Be honest with yourself.
If you are struggling with social anxiety, then it's likely that some negative thoughts can be distorted by misunderstandings. It's important to understand as much as possible about our individual experiences so that we can better translate them into positive self-talk when struggling with social anxiety. The key to this is being honest with yourself and examining how your actions have affected your feelings.
Take note of the thoughts that come into your mind.
While some of them can be negative and cause a great deal of stress, others can be subtle and easy to overlook. It's important to pay attention to what's going on in your mind so that you can surface any negative feelings and begin the process of reprogramming.
You can see how changing your thoughts will change the way you feel about yourself, which will change the way you act, which will change the perception of others around you. This is a positive cycle that can be used to reprogram your life for success!
I can help you shift your perspective with my program Master Your Mind. You will receive 3 Powerful RTT sessions to reprogram your mind so you can eliminate self-limiting beliefs and feel more confident.
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