Everybody suffers from social anxiety somewhere down the
line. The reasons vary; not knowing a
person, what to say, how to behave, etc.
It is natural to feel this way when situations like these arise,
especially when you are more of an introvert.
However, there are some people out there who struggle to speak to anyone
out of fear of social interaction. This
is usually due to the fact they feel like they never know what to say, how to
act around people or understand social queues.
Thankfully, there are ways to handle social anxiety and have meaningful
conversations with little worry. Here
are five ways to reduce social anxiety.
Have anything to add? Let me know how you feel in the comments! ✏️
🎶 Song of the Blog 🎶
1. Ask People Questions
People worry about what they are going to say throughout a
conversation. Thankfully, half the
battle is asking questions and answering the questions the other person has for
you. It does not matter what questions
are asked as long as they are appropriate.
The outcome is usually the same, it begins a conversation. This is why the asking of, “How’s the weather?”
is a popular conversation topic. The
question is simple and easy to answer.
It also gets the ball rolling which is usually what people struggle with
the most. Afterward, their answers may
become a Segway into a different topic.
This not only continues the conversation but can provide a sense of
control. If the topic does not Segway
into a new one, ask more questions.
Eventually, something will stick.
Lo and behold, you will be having a full-fledged conversation with
little to worry about in terms of content to discuss.
2. Attentive Listening
One of the most common mistakes people make when having a
conversation is forgetting to listen.
When people get nervous, they will often tune out the other person and contemplate
on what they are going to say next.
Sometimes, this can mean speaking about something having nothing to do
with what the other person said. This
not only makes the other person feel like they are not being heard, but it can
cause unnecessary tension. Attentively
listening will help in moving the conversation along. Instead of moving from thought to thought
thinking about what to say next, you will be able to formulate a response based
on what the other person is saying. It
is a win-win situation because the other person feels heard while you feel less
anxious about what to speak about.
3. Let People Talk about Themselves
One of the simplest ways to come off as friendly and easy to
talk to is allowing people to talk about themselves. It is also a great way to lower stress levels
when having a conversation. Similar to
listening, allowing the person to talk about themselves will give you the
satisfaction of having to say very little.
At the same time, the other person will feel as if you have been contributing
immensely. Many people want to talk
about their problems, achievements, and opinions but seldom have an opportunity
to do so. This is where you come in, the
person interested in everything they have to say. Many people use this strategy to get through
conversations with people they barely know or feel intimidated by. It is also a strategy used by those who are
the strong silent types. It allows them
to have conversations without revealing much about themselves. Afterward, the person you spoke to will most
likely have enjoyed the chat. Thus, you
have successfully gotten through a conversation without saying much while
making the other person happy to have spoken with you.
4. Remember People are Similar to You
Most of the time, the person you are speaking to is just as
anxious or underprepared to speak. Have
you ever been in a room with people you know little about and have to strike up
a conversation with one of them? There
is a high chance of awkward silence, random questions about work or school, or
generic conversation topics people use as a failsafe. Most of the population is uncomfortable
talking to people they seldom know, especially when they are not in the mood to
socialize. It can be a great reliever of
stress to remind yourself of this. While
you are doing your best to keep the conversation going, chances are the other
person is too. If most of the world is just
trying to get through the conversation, then it makes speaking a little
easier. You do not have to try as hard
to please the other person.
5. Catch Yourself Overthinking
This method is easier said than done and takes practice to
master. Everybody overthinks now and
then. It can be stressful having a
conversation while constantly overthinking the situation. It can lead to mind runoff where we do not
think before we speak. We also feel
insecure about what is said and how we come off towards others. This can lead to awkward situations, such as one
person apologizing for being too awkward and the other person being completely
confused as to what they are talking about.
The best way to counter this is by catching yourself overthinking. The next time you are in a conversation and
feel nervous, try to prevent yourself from worry. Take deep breaths, analyze the situation, and
tell yourself that you do not have to speak immediately after the other person
does. Take as much time as you need to
think of a response. When you are ready,
then you can respond. This will take
time to master, but once you have done so, it will be the most useful weapon in
your arsenal to counter social anxiety.
📖 Be sure to add Scanlon Blogs to your reading list! 📖
🎶 Song of the Blog 🎶
Today's Song of the Blog is 'My Stupid Mouth' by John Mayer!
👇
YOU, SCROLLING THROUGH THIS BLOG, thank you for reading! I thoroughly enjoy talking with my readers, so shoot me a message, or leave a comment, if you want to chat! Thank you!
Comments
Post a Comment