Hello and welcome to this guided meditation designed especially for those who experience social anxiety.
I'd like to begin by thanking your courageous parts for allowing yourself to be present.
It's not always easy but remember that this is a safe and judgment-free zone and there is no right way to practice mindfulness.
In this practice we will utilize the power of mindfulness to learn some tools to cope with social anxiety.
We want to take this as an opportunity to befriend yourself,
To offer the same level of compassion and understanding that you readily extend to others.
So first let's begin by finding a quiet and comfortable space where you can sit or lay down undisturbed.
Tune into your posture ensuring that you can be relaxed and well-supported and once you are settled gently close your eyes and redirect your focus to your breath.
Breathe in through your nose,
Hold it for a moment and slowly release it through your mouth.
As you breathe notice the sensation of air passing through your nostrils,
Filling your lungs and then dispersing out gently.
The breath is the bridge between the body and the mind grounding you in the present moment.
Breathing exercises can be incredibly effective in managing social anxiety.
They're simple and can be done almost anywhere to help regulate your body's stress response.
One helpful breathing technique that we will practice in today's guided meditation is deep breathing.
This technique involves breathing deeply into your diaphragm rather than into your chest.
Sit comfortably and place one hand on your chest and the other one on your abdomen.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and try to make the other hand on your abdomen rise higher than the one on your chest.
Exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let's try it one more time.
Breathe in through your nose,
Raising your belly and out through your mouth.
Breathe in through your nose,
Raising your belly and out through your mouth.
You may find that your mind is ruminating about past encounters or future social events.
I want you to know that it's completely okay.
It's just what our minds do.
The aim is not to erase these worries but to acknowledge them without judgment.
Whenever you notice the shift,
Gently remind yourself,
My focus is here and guide your attention back to your breath.
Let's focus on the mind,
A place where social anxiety resides.
It usually manifests as worries about social interactions and these anxieties could express thoughts like fearing judgment,
Avoiding social situations,
Stumbling over words or feeling like an outsider.
The first step in thought analysis involves identifying negative thought patterns or what we call cognitive distortions.
These might be thoughts like I will make a fool out of myself or they won't like me.
These thoughts which are often automatic tend to increase anxiety.
Once these negative patterns are identified,
The next step is to challenge them.
This involves questioning the validity of these negative assumptions and often realizing that they are not based on objective facts.
It's about learning to distinguish between what is a fact and what is an unhelpful thought.
For example,
An unhelpful thought may sound like I am so silent in important conversations.
Now everyone is going to think that I'm clueless.
If this is you,
Gently challenge this thought with kindness.
I am struggling with a lot of my internal thoughts and emotions right now and it's creating a clear barrier to being fully present.
I need to excuse myself from this conversation and take a moment or two to myself and I need to come back when I feel ready.
Take some time to tune in to some of the challenging thoughts that you may have.
I want to encourage you to challenge them with kindness.
As these worries appear,
Acknowledge them without judgment.
Bringing your attention back to your body in the present moment,
I want to remind you that if you struggled with that experiment,
It's okay.
All we're doing is having a practice together.
The next tool to integrate into this practice is positive affirmations.
Powerful declarations of self-acceptance and resilience.
I want you to choose an affirmation that resonates with you such as,
I am enough,
I am strong,
I am worthy of belonging.
And silently repeat these words over a few breath cycles,
Allowing them to echo through your mind and be with their positive energy.
If you are having a hard time,
I want you to practice these silent affirmations to yourself.
I have the power to manage my anxiety and take control of my thoughts.
It's okay to need more time to recharge and to be alone.
My worth is not determined by my social skills or by others opinions.
I give myself permission to excuse myself from situations that cause excessive anxiety.
I am enough,
Just as I am,
Even if my social skills aren't perfect.
Mistakes are part of the human interaction and it's okay if I make them.
Now with kindness and curiosity,
Turn your attention to the physical sensations and thoughts associated with your social anxiety.
Notice where in your body you feel it most strongly.
Is it a tightness in your chest,
A racing heart,
Or tense muscles?
Acknowledge these sensations without judgment.
Now let's gently move our focus from breathing to the body,
Starting at your feet.
Do you feel any sensations there,
Whether it be warm,
Cool,
Tingling,
Or pressure?
Don't judge or analyze these sensations.
We want to simply observe them.
Slowly guide your attention through the calves,
The knees,
And into your thighs,
And notice any areas of tension or discomfort without trying to change anything.
We are here to observe.
Draw your attention upwards to your hips and your lower back.
Feel the sensation of your body in contact with the surface beneath you.
Move your focus to your stomach,
Observing the gentle rise and fall as you breathe,
And any sensations of fullness or hunger or any other feelings that are present.
Guide your awareness to your upper back and chest,
And notice your heartbeat,
The rhythm,
The intensity.
Are there any sensations of tightness or perhaps softness?
We are simply here to observe without judgment.
Allow this mindful attention to flow down your arms and reaching out to the tips of your fingers.
Now gently guide your awareness to your shoulders and neck,
A common place where tension is held,
And simply observe any sensations that are present here.
Allow that focus to move up to your face and notice the sensation of the air as it enters and exits through your nostrils.
Lastly,
Focus on your head and imagine all the thoughts inside as little bubbles rising and popping.
They are not here to be judged or to be examined,
Just observed.
Allow your attention to sweep downwards,
Noticing any areas of tension,
Relaxation,
Discomfort,
Or ease.
As we have given each part your equal attention,
From your forehead to your toes,
I want to remind you that body scans like these increase your awareness,
Drawing focus inwards rather than one external social perception.
Now let's begin to transition back to our surroundings.
Revisit your breath,
Feel the air on your skin,
And listen carefully to any sounds that are around you.
Take a moment to acknowledge the courage it took to face your worries and to attempt to control them.
Slowly wiggle your fingers and toes,
Stretch your body gently,
Awakening every muscle with gratitude.
When you feel ready,
Flutter your eyes open and greet the world anew with calm,
Strength,
And a sense of accomplishment.
Self-acceptance is the cornerstone of self-compassion.
It's about recognizing and embracing all assets about yourself.
It's acknowledging that you are complex,
Multifaceted being,
And deserving of love and understanding.
Now let's offer some words of compassion.
Repeat after me.
I acknowledge my anxiety and release it with kindness and understanding.
I am not defined by my anxiety.
Instead,
I am defined by my strength and resilience.
As you walk away from this guided meditation,
Carrying the sense of awareness and self-compassion,
I want you to remember that you can always return to this practice to help you manage social anxiety and cultivate a greater peace within yourself.
And thank you for showing up for that socially anxious part.
