Welcome to this meditation for when you are experiencing social anxiety.
Social anxiety can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming experience.
Taking the time to connect with yourself and cultivate a sense of inner calm can help you to navigate social situations with greater ease and confidence.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable seated position.
You can be upright in a chair or on the floor or resting against a wall or another surface.
Eyes can be left open or closed,
Whatever is best for you.
If you choose to leave your eyes open,
Just keeping the gaze soft and relaxed,
Observing your body and noticing any areas of tension or holding.
Just making a note of this,
Not judging,
Not trying to change it.
Taking these next few moments to settle into your body and connect with your breath,
Noticing if the breath feels natural or if it's just a little bit anxious.
As you continue to focus on the breath,
Bring to mind a situation where you have experienced social anxiety in the past.
Perhaps it was a party,
A work event,
Or a social gathering with friends or family.
Notice any thoughts or emotions that come up as you consider this situation.
Notice any changes to your breathing and to your body as you think about this event.
Without judging,
Allow yourself to fully experience these thoughts,
Emotions,
And sensations.
As you continue to breathe,
Bring to mind a glowing orb of compassion,
Kindness,
And acceptance.
Envision this orb moving towards you as you experience these feelings of stress and anxiety.
With your next inhale,
You draw the orb towards you,
Allowing it to settle into your heart center.
Allowing it to envelop you with overwhelming feelings of compassion,
Of kindness,
And of acceptance.
Washing away those feelings of anxiety,
Of self-doubt,
And replacing them instead with feelings of confidence,
Self-worth,
And ease.
Breathing here for a few moments.
Continuing to hold that beautiful orb close to your heart,
Drawing on its strength and its light.
With your next breaths,
Sending this abundant positive energy to all areas of your body.
Breathing its calming glow into any areas of tension,
Any areas of holding,
And any areas which needed a little bit of extra love.
Allowing this orb to gently release the tension and to soften these areas.
As this breath continues to flow smoothly and effortlessly throughout your body,
Bring to mind an intention or an affirmation that you would like to set for yourself.
Perhaps you want to focus on being present and engaged in social situations,
Or to let go of any self-consciousness or any worry.
Create a phrase that you can repeat to yourself.
For example,
I am calm and confident.
I am joyful and at ease in this present moment.
I am worthy of experiencing joy at this party.
Take a breath with your intention and allow it to fuse with the glowing orb of confidence within you.
Repeat this intention or affirmation to yourself,
Allowing it to sink deep into your subconscious mind.
Allowing the light of the orb to wash your intention over every cell in your body.
Trusting your mind and your body to absorb this positive intention,
Helping you to feel more confident and more at ease in social situations as time goes on.
You can stay here in this moment for as long as you'd like.
Whenever you are ready,
Taking a final breath with the glowing orb,
And allowing it to dissolve into your body,
Permeating every cell with this beautiful intention.
Knowing that it is now a part of you,
And you can summon this orb of positivity any time that you need.
Knowing that you are never alone in your experience.
Taking a few final breaths with this knowledge,
Before inviting some movement back into the body,
And opening the eyes if they were closed.
Remember that social anxiety is a common experience,
And that it is possible to develop greater confidence and ease in social situations with practice and patience.
By cultivating a sense of inner calm and self-compassion,
You can navigate social situations with greater ease and confidence,
And enjoy all of the wonderful connections and experiences that life has to offer.
Whenever you are experiencing social anxiety,
Know that you are not your anxiety.
Call to mind your intention,
Or use this practice anytime you need to center and ground yourself.
