Mindful Attitudes Proven to Decrease Social Anxiety

Do you find social situations overwhelming? You’re not alone. Social anxiety can make even casual interactions feel daunting. Fortunately, mindfulness offers tools to help you stay grounded and present.

Mindfulness can interrupt the churn of negative thoughts and worries and give you some space and time to reset.

Although mindfulness and meditation are linked, they are not the same thing. Meditation requires separation from the world for a time so you can focus inwards. Mindfulness can be done anywhere at any time and allows you to be fully present in the here and now. Mindfulness can be a state of mind rather than an activity. See if you can adopt these mindful thought patterns and see how they allow you to step aside from anxiety.

1. Start over

Instead of hashing over past mistakes or failure, allow yourself to start again, with what psychologists call ‘beginner’s mind.’ That means approaching things as if for the first time, with no expectations or fears about what might happen. Tell yourself that this is new, you’ve never done this before, and it is a moment full of possibilities.

1. Be kind to yourself

The fears of the anxious mind need comfort, not self-recrimination. Listen to your inner child’s anxieties and sit with them in patience and compassion. You might ‘know’ your fears are irrational, but they are scary just the same. Just stay in the present and wait for the fear to pass. Remind yourself that good things are always happening to you.

1. Don’t judge yourself

People who suffer from anxiety are often their own worst critics. They leap in to judge themselves before the world can. Listen to your self-talk, your self-criticisms. Would you ever speak like that to another person? Observe your thoughts without labeling them as good or bad. This reduces the power of negative self-talk. There’s a message in the fear, take the time to hear it without rushing to judgment. You are doing fine.

1. Accept it all

Mindfulness accepts who you are, where you are right now, including feeling anxious, fearful and helpless. Step back for a moment and observe everything that’s going on and every day acknowledge that you are doing your best. Learn to see that your anxiety stems from a deep need to protect yourself from perceived threats. Anxiety is trying to be your friend, but it’s just a bit too enthusiastic. It is not a failing or a curse.

When you accept that anxiety is a form of self-protection you can stop fighting it and start to deal with your emotions with greater calm. You are not a drop of the mighty ocean – you are the mighty ocean contained in a drop!

Practical Mindfulness Exercises

• Five Senses Practice: Engage each of your senses to anchor yourself in the present moment.
• Three Gratitudes Practice: Identify three things you’re grateful for to shift focus from anxiety to appreciation.
• Three-Minute Breathing Exercise: Spend one minute checking in with yourself, one minute observing your breath, and one minute focusing on bodily sensations.

Start by choosing one mindful attitude to focus on this week. Observe how it influences your social interactions and note any changes in your anxiety levels.