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HushFest is on the horizon. Cornwall’s festival of quietness, shaped by our community. |
Helpful tips and personal stories. Exploring relationships and connecting with others when you’re feeling socially anxious, shy and not good enough. You are not alone.
Looking back, I never used to feel “socially anxious” whilst growing up. I remember feeling shy as a kid when meeting relatives or strangers, but even when I first started working I felt okay. Anxious feelings kind of crept up on me into adulthood and, I think for me personally, feelings of social anxiety occurred…
In the early budding stage of our relationship, my boyfriend’s sister invited me to her wedding. Upon receiving this news, I mentally responded in two ways. Firstly I was filled with elation, after all, she was betting on us being together a whole year into the future, a potentially risky move for a bride. Who…
For those of us who experience social anxiety, it can often be all too easy for our mind to go into a state of panic when talking to others, and most of the time it’s for no real reason- unfortunately our anxiety is causing our brain to send us the wrong messages. Blushing, stuttering, sweating,…
Is it surprising to find out how, when we’re feeling lonely, we can create a self-fulfilling prophesy for ourselves if we’re not careful? In our last post, we explored how our unconscious attempts at self-protecting can lead us deep into disconnection: Read: “Why isn’t it easy to reach out and connect when we’re feeling lonely?”…
You rarely hear anyone talking about feeling lonely, do you? It’s another one of those taboo topics, despite the fact that we all feel lonely at times. There’s a stigma attached to loneliness and it’s almost like we believe if we feel lonely then there’s something wrong with us. Or maybe we’re worried that we’re…
‘Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity.’ Brene Brown – Daring Greatly. Like many introverts, I have always been a chronic hater of sharing with the group. Allowing myself to be vulnerable – seen, heard and judged. Speaking in class, staff…
In the nineteenth century, when the Bronte sisters published their literary works, they did so under male pseudonyms. It was either that or they were at risk of their novels, at best, not being taken seriously, at worst, never to be seen hot off the press and selling at all. Clearly, there was no question,…
“Just put yourself out there”, “it won’t come to you, you have to go and get it” or even, “life is meant to be lived out there, not inside.” We’re pretty familiar with these words; they’re comments we’ve all likely heard, even if they were not directly aimed at us. Yes, sure, they can be…
Am I being selfish? As soon as the word selfish left her mouth, my throat tightened, and my head felt like it may possibly explode. All I wanted to do was come back with a well thought out retort, but my mind went blank as her last word still stung my ears. Growing up,…
Let’s face it, we would all rather avoid uncomfortable feelings if it were at all possible. This includes avoiding tough conversations. When we feel hurt or vulnerable, our first response is often to do anything we can to move away from that feeling. We might be choosing to be burying our heads in the sand…
In this post, I’ll be sharing my top tips for supporting someone when they’re feeling socially anxious, from the perspective of someone who has experienced social anxiety myself. 1. Avoid blame and shame If the person is a friend or family member, avoid blaming and shaming them for what you may at first perceive as…
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…