Use These 5 Tips to Boost Your Courage to Conquer Social Anxiety.

Does the idea of giving a speech in front of an audience make your heart start to race? When you encounter new people, do you experience shivers or avoid making eye contact? If you experience any of these symptoms, you’re not alone if you find social situations uncomfortable.

Common phobias include anxiety about speaking in front of an audience, traveling, and meeting new people. Most of us fear speaking in front of others more than we fear dying or visiting the dentist, according to a 2013 study that was prominently covered in the London Times.

Fortunately, there are healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with social anxiety.

To develop your courage and conquer your social anxieties, try these steps:

1. Utilize constructive visualization. Many of the anxieties we experience in social settings stem from our worst-case-scenario thinking. The next time you experience social anxiety, practice visualizing the ideal scenario that could occur.

• Your subconscious mind will work for you rather than against you when you replace fear with a positive picture.

2. Don’t use stimulants. In a social setting, stimulants like caffeine, sugar, and others can all make you feel more anxious. Your level of well-being will rise if you restrict your consumption and eat healthily.

• The night before a social event, try to get a good night’s sleep. The next day, you’ll feel better and less anxious.

• Alcohol can increase emotions of stress and anxiety, so resist the desire to consume large amounts of it while out socializing.

3. Get in the habit of relaxing. Learn how to focus on your breathing. Relax your muscles consciously by taking slow, deep breaths.

• You can learn how to relax and naturally lessen your anxiety levels by practicing yoga, tai chi, and meditation, which are all good practices.

4. Get used to interacting with others. Practicing what to say and do in various social situations can help you feel more confident.

• Ask a close friend or loved one to help you practice saying hello, shaking hands, smiling, and making eye contact. As you get more comfortable with these short conversations, slowly increase the number of people you talk to and how long you talk to them.

• You can also reduce your stress by focusing on others in social situations.

5. Positive affirmations should be repeated. Focus on your positive qualities instead of the things you feel are lacking about yourself.

• The spoken word has incredible power! Make a list of your positive traits and repeat them out loud every day to yourself.

• You can use affirmations to decrease your anxiety by saying, “I can handle any social situation because I am brave,” or “I enjoy meeting new people and interacting with them socially.”

Social anxiety can be difficult to deal with, but it is not impossible. The more you use these strategies, the easier it will be for you to get over your anxiety and start to enjoy being around other people.