The intention of this track is to help you feel more relaxed,
Calm and centred,
Guiding you towards a mindset conducive to a pleasant social experience.
So,
Let's begin with some breathing exercises.
Start by finding a comfortable position.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in,
Hold and then exhale slowly.
Try to see if you can make your exhales a little longer than your inhales.
So again,
Take a deep breath in,
Hold it at the top and then exhale slowly.
Continue with this breathing.
Feel the air moving in and out of your lungs.
With each out-breath,
Breathe out tension and with each in-breath,
Breathe in calm.
See if you can take a few deep breaths in this manner.
Now,
With each in-breath,
Say in your mind,
I am breathing in playfulness and with each out-breath,
I am breathing out anxiety.
See if you can make yourself smile as you breathe in playfulness,
Perhaps recording a memory that made you laugh.
If you're not in a smiley mood,
That's okay.
Just keep repeating,
Either in your mind or verbally,
I am breathing in playfulness,
I am breathing out anxiety.
When I experience social anxiety,
I often feel a tightness in my stomach.
Some people I know,
Though,
Tend to feel it more in their throat.
Tune in to the part of your body that feels most tense and imagine you're breathing into that area.
Feel each breath as you breathe into that area,
Gently reducing the tension little by little,
Restoring your natural,
Peaceful,
Playful state.
So allow yourself to start breathing normally again.
Focus on the present moment.
Notice if you're experiencing any anxious or negative thoughts.
It's okay to acknowledge them.
Observe your current thoughts.
If you don't seem to be having any,
Ask yourself,
What will my next thought be?
And simply wait.
If you have negative thoughts,
Especially any of those related to anxiety or nervousness,
Visualize them now as leaves floating down a stream,
Gently drifting away.
As each thought leaf drifts away,
Feel yourself becoming more grounded,
More centered.
You're doing great.
Now let's move on to some affirmations.
So repeat each one after me,
Either verbally or in your mind.
I am worthy of positive social experiences.
My presence is of value to others.
I am capable of handling social situations with grace.
I am relaxed and confident in the company of others.
Feel these words nurturing your inner strength.
Let's go through them one more time.
We'll go slightly quicker this time.
I am worthy of positive social experiences.
My presence is of value to others.
I am capable of handling social situations with grace.
I am relaxed and confident in the company of others.
Now visualize yourself in the social setting that you're about to enter.
Picture the environment,
The people,
The sounds.
See yourself engaging with others,
Smiling,
Speaking confidently,
Having fun.
Feel the warmth of connection.
Interactions are flowing effortlessly.
You're present and enjoying the moment.
How does it feel?
See if you can let this feeling guide your interactions.
It's very easy to feel anxious if you're self-conscious.
But remember,
Most people are also focused on themselves.
So to alleviate anxiety,
One technique can be just to place your focus onto other people.
You know,
Get curious about what you can learn or enjoy from them.
Ask yourself the question,
What can I do to make this fun for me?
Often focusing on fun or engaging topics can cause you to forget completely about feeling anxious.
Every person you meet has a unique set of life experiences and there's always something interesting to be learned from others and in the same way something interesting that they can learn from you.
So as we conclude this session,
Remember that you've got the tools to enjoy your social experiences.
Trust in your newfound calm and confidence.
Step into social encounters with a playful spirit and an open heart.
You're prepared,
You're strong,
You're ready to shine in your own unique way.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes and embrace your day of positivity and enthusiasm.
