It’s been one whole year of coming in and out of lockdowns and 3 months since the recent lockdown, but finally, it gradually coming to an end. COVID 19 changed life as we know it and forced us to accept a new normal, it’s been one crazy year. it may feel as if you have forgotten how to go about life as it used to be before the craziness of the pandemic; this feeling can stress you out and increase social anxiety.
Social anxiety disorder is an overwhelming fear of social situations like meeting or speaking to people.
Symptoms of social anxiety include worrying about speaking to people, dreading social events, avoiding eye contact and low self-esteem.
After everything we have been through collectively, here are some tips to help you deal with social anxiety as you return to your normal life.
- Control what can be controlled
You have to understand that there are many things you cannot control right now. Literally, everyone in the world is struggling somehow to get back to life as we know it, experts in the UK have noticed a rising phenomenon; anxiety about life after lockdown. You are not alone; change can be quite difficult so don’t be too hard on yourself.
- Pace Yourself
Don’t expect to go from 0-100 immediately! It’s going to be difficult to jump right into it and that’s okay. Maybe start with going shopping at the mall before you start partying to ease yourself into being around lots of people again.
Create an easy routine you can follow, keep things simple by taking walks around the block, going to a park, and just try not to overwhelm yourself with new things suddenly. It’s a psychological process as much as it’s physical. Try sharing these little moments with your close circle of friends, connect with the ones you haven’t seen in a while, and gradually take things up a notch.
- Allow yourself to be Afraid
It may seem like everyone is happy and excited about coming out of the lockdown except you, it’s okay to have your own anxieties about it. there’s no right way to do it, it all depends on you and how you feel at each moment as you go through this new phase.
Only venture out when you feel like you are ready to. Try talking to friends about your fears and go on general outings with people you trust, slowly but surely you will get over it.
- Write yourself a letter
This is part of your self-care. Write yourself a letter explaining how you are feeling, what is bothering you at the moment. Be truthful. Leave the letter safe somewhere and revisit it a few days later. Read the letter as if you were someone else and dissociate yourself. Imagine someone else wrote this letter and think about what advice you would give to this person and how you would help them? You could even take this step further by writing all your negative feelings and thoughts on a separate piece of paper and burn it somewhere safe. Watch the thoughts and feelings burn away and notice how you feel afterwards.
- Hire a Life Coach!
The importance of a life coach cannot be overemphasized! Walking alone can take you a hundred miles but walking with a life coach can take you a thousand! If anxiety keeps interfering with your ability to ease back into life as we knew it then you definitely need a life coach.
You may have trouble following through with all you plan to do post lockdown because of anxiety but a life coach will hold your hand and walk you through, help you be accountable, if you're finding it difficult to get over your fears then it’s time to get a life coach.
“The moment of crisis had come, and I must face it. My old fears, my diffidence, my shyness, my hopeless sense of inferiority, must be conquered now and thrust aside. If I failed now, I should fail forever.”
― Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Don’t let fear and anxiety hold you back and keep you from enjoying all the amazing things life has to offer! You can do this!
Written by;
Hayley Austin
CAM Life & Business Coach
Author Freedom from anxiety
Tutor & educator
