This activity is for people who feel nervous in social situations. It’s a simple way to handle worries by turning negative thoughts into positive ones, helping you become more confident and enjoy social interactions.
Goal: Manage nervous feelings in social situations by changing negative thoughts into positive ones.
Example:
Worry: “What if I say something weird and everyone laughs?”
Positive thought: “What if I make a friendly comment that everyone enjoys, making the atmosphere positive?”
How to begin:
Gather Your Tools: Use paper or a digital tool to jot down your answers.
Instructions:
- Recognize social concerns: Think about situations that make you feel anxious in social settings.
- Write down negative thoughts: List worries or fears about social interactions.
- Replace with positive thoughts: For each worry, think of a positive outcome. Challenge negative thoughts with optimistic possibilities.
- Repeat the steps: Keep going for each worry. Swap negative thoughts for positive ones.
- Think about realistic possibilities: Consider how likely negative and positive outcomes are. Positive scenarios are just as possible.
- Keep your list handy: Fold the paper and keep it in your pocket. Look at your positive thoughts when feeling anxious to remind yourself of better possibilities.
- Stay present: Focus on the current moment during social interactions. Use your list to bring your thoughts back to positive ideas.
- Take small steps: Gradually expose yourself to social situations that make you anxious. Use positive thoughts as motivation.
- Reflect on progress: After social situations, think about how the activity affected your experience. Notice positive outcomes matching your positive thoughts.
Conclusion:
The goal is not to eliminate all anxiety but to change thinking and gain confidence in social situations. With practice, approaching social interactions with a positive mindset might become easier.