Connecting, Growing, Thriving

Social wellness is essential to overall well-being and refers to building and maintaining healthy, positive relationships with others. This includes having a family and friends support system and participating in social activities and community events. In the following article, I will discuss easy and practical ways you can improve your overall social wellness. 

1. Practical communication skills are vital to social wellness, enabling individuals to express themselves clearly and understand others better. Good communication skills involve active listening, empathy, and expressing thoughts and feelings effectively.

1. Active listening involves paying attention to what someone is saying, asking questions to clarify their meaning, and providing feedback to show that you are engaged in the conversation. It also involves being present at the moment and avoiding distractions, such as checking your phone or allowing your mind to wander. 

2. By asking questions and seeking clarification, you can demonstrate to the speaker that you are interested in what they are saying and that you value their input. This can help build trust and rapport between you and the speaker, leading to more productive and meaningful conversations.

3. Additionally, being present at the moment and avoiding distractions is essential to active listening. It can be tempting to check your phone or let your mind wander, but doing so can signal disinterest or disrespect to the speaker. Giving the speaker your full attention shows that you are invested in the conversation and are willing to listen and learn.

2. Empathy is another essential communication skill that involves putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding their perspective. This can help you build more profound and meaningful relationships with others, as you can better understand and relate to their experiences and emotions.

1. Empathy involves more than just sympathizing with someone or feeling sorry for them. It requires actively listening to their concerns and feelings, trying to understand their perspective, and responding in a way that validates and supports them.

2. Empathy can be instrumental in situations where conflict or tension arises, as it can help to de-escalate the situation and promote understanding and cooperation. It can also be helpful when individuals are struggling with personal issues, as it can help them feel heard and supported.

3. Empathy is crucial for effective communication and building solid relationships with others. You can better understand and connect with those around them by cultivating empathy, leading to more positive and productive interactions.

3. Effectively expressing your thoughts and feelings is essential for good communication. This involves using clear and concise language, staying on topic, and respecting others' opinions and perspectives. It also consists of being open and honest about your feelings and needs while being willing to compromise and find common ground with others.

1. Expressing your thoughts and feelings can involve using "I" statements instead of "you" statements. For example, instead of saying, "You always do this," try saying, "I feel frustrated when this happens." Using "I" statements can help to avoid blame and defensiveness and promote understanding and collaboration.

2. Finally, it's important to stay on topic when expressing your thoughts and feelings. This can involve being mindful of the conversation's purpose and goals, avoiding tangents or distractions, and respecting others' time and attention.

3. By effectively expressing one's thoughts and feelings, individuals can promote effective communication and build positive and productive relationships with others.

4. Overall, developing good communication skills is essential for social wellness. It can help you build stronger and more positive relationships with others, resolve conflicts, and navigate social situations more effectively.

4. Participating in community activities is another aspect of social wellness, as it can provide you with a sense of purpose and belonging. This can include volunteering, joining a club or group, or attending events and activities that align with personal interests

1. Volunteering gives you a sense of fulfillment and purpose by allowing them to give back to your community and help those in need. It can also be a great way to meet new people and build connections with others who share similar values and interests.

2. Joining a club or group can also benefit social wellness, as it provides a sense of belonging and the opportunity to connect with others who share common interests or hobbies. This can help you build new friendships and expand your social network.

3. Attending events and activities that align with personal interests is another way to promote social wellness, as it can help you connect with others who share similar passions and hobbies. This can include attending concerts, art shows, or sporting events, or participating in classes or workshops related to a particular interest or skill.

4. Participating in community activities can help you build stronger connections with others, find a sense of purpose and belonging, and positively contribute to your community, all of which are important for social wellness.

5. Diversity and inclusion: Embracing and promoting inclusion can help build positive relationships with people from different backgrounds and cultures. This involves being open-minded, respectful, and accepting of others.

1. Diversity and inclusion are critical components of social wellness, as they involve embracing and valuing differences among people and promoting a culture of respect and acceptance.

2. Embracing diversity means recognizing and celebrating differences in people's backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and perspectives. It involves being open-minded and willing to learn from others with different experiences. This helps break down barriers and build stronger relationships based on mutual understanding and respect.

3. Inclusion involves creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all individuals, regardless of their background or identity. This can involve actively seeking diverse perspectives and voices, promoting equity and fairness, and advocating for marginalized groups.

4. Creating a culture of diversity and inclusion requires effort and commitment from everyone in a community, including individuals, organizations, and institutions. By promoting diversity and inclusion, individuals can help build more positive and fulfilling relationships with others and promote greater social wellness and overall well-being.

6. Emotional intelligence: Recognizing and managing your emotions and empathizing with others can promote social wellness. Emotional intelligence allows individuals to develop more robust, more meaningful relationships with others.

1. Having high emotional intelligence allows individuals to build stronger and more meaningful relationships with others by understanding and responding to their emotions effectively. This can involve identifying and managing one's emotions and recognizing and responding to the feelings of others in a respectful and empathetic manner.

2. Emotional intelligence also involves communicating effectively, particularly when expressing emotions and feelings. This can involve using "I" statements to express your own feelings, as well as being able to listen to others' feelings and perspectives actively.

3. Emotional intelligence can also help individuals to resolve conflicts and challenges more effectively. By managing emotions in difficult situations, individuals can approach challenges with a more precise and positive mindset, leading to better outcomes and stronger relationships.

4. By cultivating emotional intelligence, you can promote greater social wellness, build stronger relationships with others, and enhance their overall well-being and happiness.

7. Interdependence: Social wellness recognizes that individuals depend on one another for their well-being. This means that our relationships with others are not just nice to have but essential for our health and happiness.

1. In social wellness, interdependence means that our relationships and connections with others are crucial for our well-being. It recognizes that humans are social creatures who need social support, connection, and interaction to thrive. 

2. Individuals may experience loneliness, isolation, and other adverse mental and physical health effects without positive relationships and social support. Therefore, social wellness emphasizes building and maintaining healthy relationships and connections with others to enhance our overall well-being.

8. Boundaries: Establishing healthy boundaries is an important aspect of social wellness. Setting boundaries can help you maintain healthy relationships, prevent burnout, and protect your mental and emotional health.

1. Boundaries refer to the limits and guidelines you set for themselves in your relationships and interactions. Healthy boundaries help individuals communicate their needs, preferences, and expectations clearly and respectfully, and they can help prevent feelings of resentment or burnout in relationships.

2. Establishing healthy boundaries is essential for social wellness. Without healthy boundaries, you may be over-committed, constantly saying ‘yes’ to others' requests, or feeling guilty when they say ‘no’. This can lead to stress, burnout, and other adverse mental and emotional health effects.

3. By setting and communicating healthy boundaries, individuals can establish clear expectations in their relationships and protect their well-being. This can include setting limits on time commitments, asserting personal values and beliefs, and establishing physical, emotional, and social boundaries. Boundaries can help you maintain healthy relationships, reduce stress, and promote social wellness.

9. Conflict resolution: Conflict is a normal part of relationships, and learning how to resolve conflicts healthily and constructively is essential to social wellness. Effective conflict resolution skills can help you maintain positive relationships and prevent misunderstandings or hurt feelings.

1. Problem-solving skills: Identifying the underlying issues or concerns and working together to find a mutually agreeable solution is a key element of effective conflict resolution.

2. Flexibility: Being open to compromise and alternative solutions can help you reach a resolution that works for everyone involved.

3. By developing and practicing effective conflict resolution skills, you can maintain positive relationships, prevent conflicts from escalating, and promote social wellness.

10. Self-disclosure: Sharing personal information and experiences can help build trust and promote social connection. Practicing appropriate self-disclosure in relationships can help you feel more understood and connected to others.

1. However, it's important to note that self-disclosure should be practiced appropriately and healthily. Sharing too much personal information too quickly can make individuals feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, which may not necessarily lead to a stronger connection with others. Conversely, withholding too much personal data can make developing deep and meaningful relationships difficult.

2. Effective self-disclosure involves sharing personal information gradually, based on the level of trust and comfort in the relationship. It can include sharing feelings, thoughts, and experiences, and it can help individuals feel more understood and connected to others.

3. Some benefits of appropriate self-disclosure include the following:

1. Building trust: Sharing personal information can help build confidence in relationships, as it shows a willingness to be vulnerable and open with others.

2. Promoting social connection: Self-disclosure can help you connect with others deeper, leading to stronger relationships.

3. Reducing stigma: Sharing personal experiences can help reduce the stigma associated with specific issues or conditions, leading to more understanding and acceptance.

   By practicing appropriate self-disclosure in relationships, individuals can enhance their social wellness and develop more profound and meaningful connections with others.

Social wellness is an essential aspect of overall well-being that refers to your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with others. Social wellness is based on the understanding that human beings are social creatures and that our relationships with others are essential to our health and happiness.

Critical social wellness elements include communication skills, empathy, conflict resolution, social engagement, trust, and self-disclosure. By focusing on these elements, you can cultivate healthy relationships, develop stronger social connections, and enhance your well-being.

Building and maintaining positive relationships with others can have numerous benefits, including improved mental and physical health, reduced stress, and a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment. By prioritizing social wellness and practicing effective communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and other skills, individuals can lead happier, healthier lives and contribute to a more connected and supportive community.

How Spending More Time on Self-Care Can Make You Feel Better Overall

There are many ways to take care of yourself. Here are a few strategies that can help you improve your mental, physical, and emotional health.

Self-care is an important aspect of personal development. It’s always important to have time for yourself, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. You can use that time for tasks like meditating, reading, or going for a walk. Just remember to take care of yourself so you can take care of others.

It can certainly feel like self-care is not easy to do on a regular basis, especially when you are stressed out, but the benefits it provides are worth the effort.

50 Tips to Feel Better About Yourself with These Small Changes

These fifty tips are not going to make you feel a big difference in your life immediately. But they will help you feel more confident and at peace with yourself.

1. Make sure you get enough sleep every night so you can think clearly and function well throughout the day. 

What do you do when you don't get enough sleep every night? You feel tired, unfocused, and irritable. You make mistakes. And you're not just making mistakes at work - your health is suffering too. Ensuring you get at least seven hours a sleep per night will help you function well throughout the day. 

2. Take the time for yourself and do things that make you happy.

The opportunity to spend time on yourself can be tough when you have a busy schedule. It's important to take the time needed for yourself and do things that make you happy. After all, self-care is vital for the health of your mind and body.

3. Take a break from social media and other online distractions.

Social media is a vital part of modern life. People use it to make connections, stay informed, and share information. But sometimes we need to take a break--just for an hour or so--from the hustle and bustle of our social lives. It can be overwhelming.

4. Schedule in some time for pampering yourself—whether it be a spa day, taking a walk with friends, or just taking an hour to go through your makeup case, this is important for self-care.

It's important to pamper yourself every now and then. Self-care is essential for a happy, healthy lifestyle. Many people make time for this by scheduling in a spa day or going on walks with friends. But if you don't have much time to dedicate, there are many ways to pamper yourself without the need for an appointment. You can do it by taking an hour to go

5. Take care of your skin such as cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliating, and protecting it with sunscreen.

A healthy, glowing face is essential to maintaining a good overall look. Skin care is not just limited to cleansing and moisturizing, though. There are also many other steps you can take to protect your skin such as exfoliating and using sunscreen. You can also use makeup such as foundation, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, and blush  if that helps you feel good. When you take care of your skin you are taking care of your body and that is a form of self-care. If you enjoy putting on makeup, that is also another form of self-care.

Skin care is an essential part of any beauty routine, especially since it's so easy to damage your skin with sun exposure. When you're not wearing sunscreen, these common beauty mistakes can lead to dark spots, redness, and blemishes on a daily basis. To take care of your skin and make sure you're protecting it from damaging UV rays, use a gentle cleanser, moisturize twice a day.

6. Don't compare yourself to others.

Our society is fueled by constantly comparing ourselves to others. We like to compare our fitness level and income, relationships, etc. It's natural for us but not always the best thing for us. Accepting who you are will improve your mental health.

7. Eat well to maximize your performance.

When you eat well, you'll feel better and perform better. Whether you're training for a marathon or working on a complex project, eating healthy is key to your success.

8. Be active - whether it is taking up a new hobby, going for a brisk walk, or hopping on the bike for 20 minutes. Make it a point to get some type of physical exercise daily.

9.  Spend time with family and friends to decompress and destress.

Due to the modern world, we live in, it can be difficult to find time for ourselves. This is why it is important to make time for both pure and productive activities- sometimes this means spending time with family and friends. Spending time with people who are not in your immediate circle will help you recognize what truly matters.

10.  Self-care is a term that is often used interchangeably with mental health. But it also refers to the act of taking good care of yourself for your own sake. It involves activities such as exercise, meditation, and healthy eating.

The importance of self-care has been widely acknowledged in today's society. With increased work-life balance and the rise of technology, it becomes harder for people to take good care of themselves physically and mentally. This can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, and other mental health issues that are more common in today's world.

So, what can we do? Well, we can start by looking into how we can improve our self-care routine through things like meditation or mindfulness exercises. And when you're feeling overwhelmed or need a break from work - try looking at something funny and interesting.

11.  Make sure you are drinking enough water every day. Water helps flush out toxins in your body and keeps your skin hydrated. It also keeps you healthy by helping your body fight off infections and diseases. It's recommended that you drink at least eight cups of water every day.

12.  Get up and stretch every hour. As we spend more time sitting at our desks, it has become increasingly important for us to get up and stretch every hour. If a person is not getting up and moving around then the muscles in their back and neck will begin to tighten. This can lead to discomfort, pain, and even potential injury.

13.  Establish boundaries at home and at work. Boundaries are important. It is vital to have clear, communicated boundaries at the home and workplace for many reasons. For example, if one person has a boss who is late morning and another has a boss who leaves early in the afternoon, it can make life much easier to establish what time people are expected to be in each day as well as when they can expect meetings/work calls/etc. 

14.  Get outside in nature to improve your mindset.

Although it is not always possible to get outside in nature, there are ways that you can still experience the benefits of nature and improve your mindset. Whether you are looking for ways to de-stress during the week, or want to reconnect with yourself, getting outside has many health benefits. If you’re stuck indoors, then downloading an app of the ocean’s waves crashing on the beach can help you feel better and decompress.

15.  Maintain healthy social relationships.

Today, people are living busier lives. Most of us have jobs that require long hours, and most of us don't even get a lunch break. So, it's easy for relationships to fall by the wayside--something that can be very damaging to our mental and physical well-being. How do you maintain healthy relationships in such a busy world? Make the relationships in your life a priority.

16.  Keep yourself engaged with activities you love.

When you love what you do, it's easy to stay motivated and engaged with your day-to-day activities. That's why people who find their work meaningful and satisfying are more likely to stay in the workforce for a long time.

17.  Learn how to replace bad habits with good ones.

We all have bad habits that we struggle with daily. These bad habits can be difficult to break because they’re so ingrained in our daily routines. Sometimes it takes a while to change and sometimes it doesn’t work at all. However, there are some ways you can replace your bad habits with new, healthier ones without having to put a lot of effort.

18.  Embrace alone time and make time for solitude.

Becoming a self-aware person means learning to make time for yourself. Whether it's an hour of reading, a walk in the park, or a trip out to your favorite coffee shop, be sure to set aside some time for you on a regular basis.

19.  Plan for setbacks but know how to navigate challenges.

Life is full of challenges that may make it seem like you're stuck. But with a plan and a positive attitude, you can get through them no matter what happens.

20.  Learn how to be resilient in the face of adversity.

It's hard to be resilient in the face of adversity. It takes a lot of practice, and it takes conscious effort to learn how to be more positive and less negative. Often, these setbacks are due to external factors such as bad luck and a lack of preparation. However, the key to success is being able to overcome these setbacks and continue forward.

21.  Always listen to your body. If something doesn’t seem right, take a break, or see a doctor.  

The body is your most important tool. It allows you to live, move, and function in this world. It's always listening, and it's always trying to tell you something. Listen to your body so that you can stay healthy and live a long life.

22.  Learn how to breathe during times of high stress.

Breathing is a universal and important skill that can help soothe the mind and body as well as help us stay grounded and avoid hyperventilating. It's often difficult to control our breathing when we're in a state of high stress, but there are some simple techniques that you can practice taking your breath back. Here is one exercise:

- Breathing in through the nose for a count of four, hold for five seconds

- Breathe in through the mouth for a count of four, hold for five seconds

- Inhale deeply and exhale slowly through the mouth or nose

23.  Start your day off with gratitude and a positive mindset.

Many people go to bed on the wrong side of the bed and wake up with a negative outlook on life. However, by starting your day off with gratitude and a positive mindset, you can start your day out right. Gratitude is a feeling that is felt when one appreciates what they have in life. It is important to appreciate our blessings because it helps us embrace the world around us.

24.  Show appreciation for everyone around you.

In this day and age, we are too quick to judge. We expect people to be perfect, but we forget that everyone is just human. It is important that we remember to put others before ourselves and appreciate the people in our lives for who they are today, not who they were yesterday.

25.  Be self-aware and pay attention to your surroundings.

There are so many people walking around the city. Most of them are looking down at their phones, texting, or scrolling through Instagram. Some may be trying to start conversations with strangers, but most won't even give you a second look. You have to be mindful of your surroundings and pay attention to what's going on around you because you never know when something important is going to happen.

26.  Use a journal to track your thoughts and moods throughout the day.

Journaling is a great way to reflect on your day and pay attention to the emotions and events that are happening in your life. It can help you gain more clarity about what's going on in your body, mind, and soul. Journaling is an excellent way to change negative thoughts into positive ones.

27.  Work on reframing negative thoughts into positive ones.

Negative thoughts can be difficult to control but focusing on the positive can help you feel more optimistic. Loving yourself is a vital step in recovery and happiness. Let's focus on how we can create happier and healthier minds!

28.  Ask for help and support when you need it.

When someone is feeling overwhelmed or even depressed, it is important to ask for help. Not only will others be supportive, but they will also help you through the difficult time. This is especially true when you are asking for help from a close friend or family member.

29.  Focus on developing on your strengths to improve your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Self-confidence is a key factor in achieving success. It allows people to take risks, pursue their dreams and live up to their full potential. When you are confident about who you are, your confidence will shine through in all aspects of your life, including work.

30.  Practice self-compassion to feel better.

Self-compassion allows you to move beyond the painful moments of life with a more open, compassionate, and accepting perspective. Self-compassion helps you not only feel better about yourself, but also allows you to shift your thoughts away from your ego and into a more positive zone.

31.  Start writing as a way to improve your mental health and wellness.

Writing is a skill that can be learned and developed into a lifelong habit. Whether it's your day job or hobby, writing on a daily basis can help you stay in shape as a writer. Writing is not just a nice-to-have, it's an absolute must if you want to thrive in this world.

32.  Create and stick a routine every day.

Routine is crucial for productivity and your mental health; a daily routine helps with consistency in the day and creates a sense of order. By having a routine, you have a set time to work on your tasks every day.

33.  Be honest and open with everyone around you.

When you're honest and open with everyone around you, you'll be able to build deeper relationships and have a more fulfilling life. Being open with others will also increase your chances of success because it will make it easier for people to trust you.

34.  Set daily affirmations and say them out loud every day.

Set your daily affirmations for the day. Make sure to say them out loud so you can fully internalize them and center yourself before going to bed each night. By doing this, you will be able to manifest what you want in life and live a more positive, happy life. Here are a few daily affirmation examples.

1.     "I appreciate the people who make my life easier."

2.     "I am grateful for all the opportunities I have."

3.     "I am brave enough to try new things."

4.     I am __________ today, I am __________ every day, and I will always be __________!

5.     I am confident in my abilities, I am proud of myself, and I always give my best effort!

35.  Remove yourself from toxic people and toxic situations to protect your mental health and overall wellness.

Toxic people and toxic situations are extremely damaging to your mental health and overall wellness. Social media is rife with these situations that can be hard to avoid. One way to get out of these toxic scenarios is by removing yourself from the situation, or at least minimizing your exposure.

36.  Take time to smile and laugh to alleviate stress and anxiety.

Many of us can be faced with the task of living in the present and not worrying about the past or future. However, it is important to remember that we are not always in control of our thoughts. There are times when we will experience anxiety and stress that can only be alleviated by taking a moment to smile and laugh.

37.  Get on a sleep schedule you follow every day.

There are many benefits to following a sleep schedule. It can help you to wake up at the same time every day, it can help improve your mood, and it can help you to be more productive.

38.  Design a vision board to help make your dreams come to life.

A vision board can help you make your dreams come true by visualizing what you want and are working towards. Design a vision board that incorporates your personal style and is tailored to your goals.

39.  Surround yourself with happy and positive people to help improve your mental health and overall well-being.

You have the power to surround yourself with people who make you feel good, and in turn, you'll feel good. It's really that simple.

40.  Find an accountability partner to help you stay the course.

Many people find it hard to stay on track with their diet, exercise, or other self-improvement goals. It can be difficult to motivate yourself to keep up the good work and make progress when you're having a bad day. This is where an accountability partner comes in handy. Someone like a family member or friend will help you stay focused.

41.  Make it a point to keep learning and evolving as a person.

Making it a point to keep learning and evolving as a person is important. Whether you're trying to update your skills, you want to learn something new or you're just curious about your field, the following are some ways that you can continuously learn.

42.  Turn the devices off after 6pm to recharge and disconnect from technology.

We tend to stay connected to technology for hours on end, but this can be a detriment to our health and well-being. The good news is that we don't need to remain plugged in all the time. Turning off your devices after 6pm has a number of benefits including saving energy and increasing sleep quality.

43.  Declutter your mind to make room for mental clarity.

Decluttering your mind is a process that can help you achieve mental clarity, as well as reduce stress and anxiety. The simplest way to cleanse your mind is to plan out your day in advance. Brainstorm a list of what you need to do for the day and prioritize accordingly.

44.  Throw out the old in your closet and make room for the new.

When it comes to deciding what to keep in your closet, it is important to remember that clothes are meant to change with the seasons. In order for you to make room for the new, you need to toss out the old. You'll be able to feel good about yourself knowing that you're getting rid of old things and making room for new things.

45.  To clear your head, do a brain dump. This will help you get organized.

Brain dumps are a good way to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. This helps you to process and organize your thoughts into sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters. Brain dumps also help you to take stock of what is going on in your life.

46.  Watch an uplifting video or listen to an inspiring podcast.

Listening to inspirational podcasts is a way of life for some people. People who need a boost of motivation or inspiration often listen to these podcasts at work, home, or during their commute. Some of the most popular topics are health and wellness, happiness, personal development, and self-improvement.

47.  Buy yourself something that you want.

Spending money on yourself is a great way to treat yourself and make sure you get the things you need. However, many people feel guilty that they don't earn enough to be able to buy themselves something nice. If you want something specific, such as material goods or travel, then it might be worth it for you to go out and save up so you can afford it.

48.  Take a vacation or a staycation.

If you're planning a vacation, but don't want to miss out on work, below are some of the tasks you might consider:

o   Let your coworkers know you’re going to be away and ask them to cover your responsibilities while you’re away.

o   Make yourself available for emergencies.

49.  There are many reasons to be overwhelmed and bogged down by the details that we take on. Sometimes these details can be very important and necessary, but other times they can just slow us down, exhaust us, or even harm our progress. Learning how to cut through all of these unnecessary details is a skill that any entrepreneur can build on.

50.  Give yourself a break if you fail at doing something. Look at it as a lesson. It is important to take time off when you need it. It helps you recharge, gain perspective, and see things in a different light. If you have failed at something, don't beat yourself up over it. Look at it as a learning experience and use that lesson to help propel your career forward.

What are some easy ways you can do at home to improve your mood? Here is a List of Simple Techniques and Tricks that Will Change Your Day for the Better!

There are a lot of things that you can do to improve your mood. These techniques and tricks will help you to feel better about yourself and your life.

Some of the easy techniques that you can try at home include:

Learn how to start meditating.

Meditation is a practice that has been around for at least 5000 years. It focuses on breathing, being present and connecting with the self. This practice can help you be more mindful, relax, manage stress, and improve your overall health.

Start taking up yoga to destress.

Yoga has many benefits. It can relieve stress and anxiety, improve your sleep quality, and even help you lose weight. There are many different types of yoga that can be practiced by people of all ages and backgrounds. Yoga practices such as Hatha Yoga will give you a deep relaxation in less than 30 minutes.

Alleviate stress with running or cycling.

Running is one of the most popular exercises in the world. It is a low-intensity, full-body exercise. With various benefits such as strengthening muscles, improving mood, and creating more energy in your day, runners don't have to worry about getting bored if they run for 30 minutes every day. Cycling is another exercise that many people can enjoy. It requires skill, balance, and coordination which makes it challenging yet fun.

How to Manage Anxiety in Social Situations

While some people are social butterflies, others find interactions nerve-wracking. However, it’s never too late to improve your social skills and become a people person. Learning how to manage your anxiety in social situations will help you enjoy your life more and open the doors to more friendships and professional opportunities.
Here are a few tips that can help you overcome social anxiety:

1. Master stress-management techniques

The best way to manage anxiety regardless of what social situation you’re dealing with is to regularly practice stress-management techniques. You’ll benefit from this approach the most if you combine two or more methods. For example, one of the most popular techniques is mindful breathing. To give it a go, put your hand on your belly and the other hand on your chest, then inhale through your nose so that your belly pushes your hand out. Exhale through pursed lips and repeat the whole process. Alternatively, you can try to remember to breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth whenever you feel stressed.

Another effective relaxation technique is visualizing yourself in your happy place. All you must do is think of a place that is soothing; it can be an actual place or an imaginary world where your worries don’t exist. At the same time, try to engage all your senses and focus on what you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can combine it with breathing techniques.  

2. Understand your fear

If the prospect of engaging in social interactions fills you with dread, you aren’t alone. Many people struggle with social anxiety to some degree; however, everyone’s experience is different. Some might simply feel nervous when meeting new people, others might get sick just at the thought of going to a social event and avoid leaving the house. But whichever category you fall into, you should start by understanding the way your fear works. 

First, think about the last time social interaction made you feel anxious and try to write down all other emotions you experienced such as fear, shame and so on. Then try to pair the emotions with thoughts, bodily sensations, and behaviors. For example, you might have been nervous at a party and your inability to interact with strangers made you feel helpless, evoked negative thoughts about yourself and caused you to sweat. Eventually, you decided to stay in the corner and not talk to anyone. Getting to know your fear will give you more clarity on how to approach it and eventually overcome it.  

3. Practice social interactions to help keep social anxiety at an arm’s length

It might not be what you want to hear but exposure is important. If you want to get good at something, you must practice it a lot, just like you would if you wanted to master a new language. Being social is a skill and while you might need more time to get there than other people, you can learn it.

So how can you get out of your comfort zone? You don’t have to force yourself to chat with strangers straight away or have conversations you don’t want to have. You can start small and give yourself a daily challenge. For example, you could make it your goal to smile at strangers when you’re out and about, then progress onto asking shop assistants how their day is going, initiating social meetings, and showing up to social events. This might seem terrifying to you now but the more you practice, the easier it will get. 

After every exposure, it’s important to reflect on it. Once you’ve completed a challenge, ask yourself, was it as bad as I thought? How did that experience compare to what I think was going to happen? What did I learn from it? For example, the more you interact with people, the more you’ll realize that people aren’t as harsh on you as you are on yourself and that seeing someone smile back at you might put you in a good mood. And even if you happen to do something embarrassing, remember that it all of us do at some point. 

4. Ask your friends for support

As you gradually learn how to get out of your comfort zone, it’s sometimes a good idea to reach out for support. For example, if you want to go to a party, you can ask your friends to go with you. However, it’s important to remember not to rely on this kind of aid too much because it might result in increased anxiety when you’re on your own and prevent you from directly testing your fears which is essential to overcoming social anxiety. Your friends should encourage you to get out of your shell, not speak for you or do things for you. 

5. Become a good listener

People who experience anxiety in social situations are focused on the way other people view them and how their bodies react (for example, you might experience trembling voice, sweating or stomachache), often failing to connect with the other person. So, if you want to distract yourself from feeling anxious and become a better conversationalist in general, you should make practice being a good listener. A good listener is someone who pays attention to what the other person is telling you about but also empathizes with it. Remember to visualize everything the other person is saying and respond with nonverbal cues, which can be as simple as nodding. 

6. Try positive affirmations

Imagine that you’re feeling disappointed because you’ve just failed an exam. If you’re not an optimistic person, your inner voice might tell you that you’re stupid and you’ll get nowhere in life. And the more thoughts like that arise in your mind, the worse you’ll feel. As you can see, your thoughts can influence your mood and your mood can influence your thoughts. Knowing this, you can manipulate the way you feel and improve your confidence by learning how to adopt a more positive mindset.  

The simplest way to become more positive and self-confident is by practicing positive affirmations. All you need is to stand in front of the mirror every day and repeat motivational statements to yourself for a few minutes. It doesn’t even matter if they’re true or not because the more you repeat them, the more you’ll start believing them and a change of behavior will follow. For example, you can tell yourself that you’re self-confident, friendly, and sociable and that people like you. Additionally, try to visualize whatever you say to really influence your thoughts.  

7. Try a guided meditation

Nowadays guided meditations are popular as they allow you to improve a lot of issues by simply listening to a voice and following simple steps. And, of course, it means you can find plenty of resources to help you deal with social anxiety. One of the most popular ones is social anxiety hypnosis by Michael Sealey that you can find on YouTube. As you can see in the comments, a lot of people swear by it and say that it helped them make a tremendous change in their lives. 

8. Pay attention to your thoughts

You might think, but wait, aren’t you supposed to silence the inner voice that’s telling you that you’ll make a fool out of yourself? The problem is that ignoring the issue won’t help you progress. Additionally, your thoughts might already be so automatic that you might not even realize you’re experiencing them and so can’t really change them.  

Whenever you feel anxious, try to pay attention to what thoughts accompany this feeling. For example, you might engage in self-deprecation: “I’m boring and nobody likes me” or catastrophize, “I’m feeling anxious, so I’ll probably fail this interview.” For every negative thought that arises in your mind, you should come up with a more realistic statement. For example, you can tell yourself, “I’ve been anxious many times before and that didn’t stop me” and that people will worry more about how they come across to others than whether they like you or not.  

Believe it or not, you’re your worst critic and people see you in a more positive light than you think. This phenomenon is known as the ‘liking gap’ and it’s supported by research. For example, in the study published in Psychological Science Journal participants were invited to have 5-minutes conversations with each other followed by ranking how much they liked their conversation partner and how much they thought their partner liked them. Most participants underestimated the impression they made on others which shows that people don’t judge you as harshly as you judge yourself. [1]  

Changing your thoughts doesn’t happen over time and takes a lot of practice. It’s recommended that you first learn how to be more mindful to become more self-aware of your mental state. You can check out our last article that explores what mindfulness is in-depth, but the general idea is to become aware of your surroundings. You can practice it by fully focusing on what you’re doing in each moment instead of letting your mind wander. 

9. Become your own cheerleader

Struggling with social anxiety can be very isolating as people who feel comfortable in social situations don’t understand how challenging they are to you. Even if your friends are supportive, they’ll never fully comprehend what it feels like to fail to navigate something you’re expected to be good at. Therefore, you should remember to be your own cheerleader and congratulate yourself on every effort. Did you smile at a stranger? Tell yourself that you did well. Did you manage to start a conversation? Treat yourself to your favorite food. 

You can also keep a journal in which you document every successful interaction and even the smallest improvement. Whenever you feel like you aren’t advancing enough or face an obstacle, you can read through your past entries and see how far you’ve come. This kind of positive reinforcement will encourage you to keep going and consequently boost your self-esteem. The better you feel about yourself, the less likely you are to struggle with self-deprecating thoughts and anxiety.

10. Think of creative ways to boost your confidence and manage social anxiety  

If it works, it doesn’t matter what it takes to get there. This doesn’t mean you should use alcohol or drugs to manage your anxiety but there are plenty of creative techniques you can use to become more confident. For example, a lot of people benefit from watching a TV show with a strong lead and drawing inspiration from their behavior. You don’t have to transform into a completely different person, but it helps to adopt some of the mannerisms and then imagine yourself that you’re the character whenever you have to interact socially.

Another thing that can help is listening to motivational music. If imagining yourself as a TV character doesn’t work, why not visualize yourself acting confident? Before any upcoming social event, play the chosen song and do your best to picture yourself nailing all social interactions. Combine it with positive affirmations for more effect. 

And if you enjoy a challenge, you could always sign up for acting classes. This is a huge step out of your comfort zone but can serve as a ‘shock therapy’ and help you get over the fear faster.  

11. Consider therapy to help manage your social anxiety

In many people’s cases, social anxiety is a result of certain personality traits and traumatic childhood experiences so professional help might be necessary to appropriately address the problem. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the best treatment option for people who struggle with social situations as it involves making changes to your thought process and emotions attached to specific situations to eventually modify your behavior.

CBT recognizes that negative self-talk can lead to avoidance behaviors and gradually introduces you to anxiety-inducing situations. Even if you’re having success with some of the tips mentioned in this article, professional treatment is always a good idea. 

References:

[1] The Liking Gap in Conversations: Do People Like Us More Than We Think? - Erica J. Boothby, Gus Cooney, Gillian M. Sandstrom, Margaret S. Clark, 2018 (sagepub.com)