I wanted to share here an extract from a group session I run in understanding and overcoming social anxiety and shyness.
It consists of a simple and straightforward method we can use if we’re approaching a potentially anxiety-inducing situation, encouraging us to bring to mind a reassuring message to keep us calm and grounded, and if necessary to accompany it with a calming breath or two.
We can also just use these aides-memoire if and when we could use a confidence boost.
(My thanks to Gillian Butler, and her excellent book ‘Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness’, which first introduced me to this technique).
NB Reference to this slideshow is included in a previous post, from 2023, but this time it’s hosted on this website, rather than externally.