Helpful tips and personal stories. Exploring career challenges and successes when you’re feeling socially anxious, shy and not good enough. You are not alone.
My mantra through school and university life was ‘avoid all eye contact with the teacher and they likely won’t pick on you to answer a question’. It wasn’t that I was a bad student, in fact I was always among the ones topping the class. It’s just that my confidence just seemed to end beyond…
Rattle the stars Hundreds and hundreds of books overflowing from my bookcases show that I’ve always been a big reader. You can usually find me in the middle of reading something. I find it to be incredibly safe and familiar with my head in a book. The fact that I can escape to other worlds,…
Did you know there are three aspects of happiness? In order to feel truly happy, we have to fulfil each of these areas: Pleasure, Engagement and Meaning. Let’s briefly explore why each of these components are important to your happiness; what activities might look like in each area; and the kind of things that could…
Breathing. Pfft!! How could breathing possibly help with anxiety? I used to feel so annoyed that anyone would even suggest the idea of using breathing techniques. “This isn’t something I have any control over!” I’d think with a roll of my eyes, “Don’t people know how paralysing the fear is for me?” It’s going to take…
Speaking at Cornwall Business Fair alongside Sally Heard, CEO from Cornwall School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), I opened up about the hidden challenges of social entrepreneurship: feeling like you’re not good enough and don’t belong here. The imposter experience is something I think the majority of us have experienced, be that in our careers or personal…
Talking about our self-doubt and our anxieties in social situations is still taboo. We tend to think we should be able to do certain things, like talk to strangers and speak up, just because other people seem to manage with ease. It can feel like we’re the only person struggling. Then there’s the stigma we experience when…
The distance between my brain and my mouth seems so much further than for other people… Something that always bothered me was the fact that I didn’t think very quickly. If I was put on the spot I would completely freeze at times. It’s like the distance between my brain and my mouth is so…
Job interviews are terrifying. There is no other way to put it. I find them to be a surreal and an unrealistic experience. For me, like for so many others who are of a quieter disposition or feel socially anxious, the idea of selling yourself to a stranger as their next employee can trigger negative…
Managing anxiety Your body’s response to stress is triggered automatically by a part of your nervous system that you have little control over. This takes you out of a calm and balanced state and puts you into a state of ‘fight or flight’, altering your heart rate, blood pressure and your breathing. This is when…
At April’s Speaking Connections gathering, we spent some time sharing the valuable tips that our members are already using in overcoming nervousness in speaking. This is one of a two-part post sharing our members’ wisdom. Look out for our previous post passing on the gatherings practical tips. Getting into the right frame of mind What can you do to relax before an…
At April’s Speaking Connections gathering, we spent some time sharing the valuable tips that our members are already using in overcoming nervousness in speaking. This is one of a two-part post sharing our members’ wisdom. Look out for our next post passing on the gatherings mindset tips. Practising and using prompts One of the best ways to ease the anxiety…
Do you find the prospect of networking a little daunting? Here are six ultra-specific networking tips for introverts from recruiter Andrew Ellis to help you. “Find safety in numbers.” Take your comfort zone with you by networking in pairs or even larger groups. Going to these events with someone you know can help you by…