8 months.
It sounds so lonnngggg...
.. but, actually, last Christmas was only 4 months ago. To my (granted, foggy) brain that feels like yesterday...
Hmm... How much has your Social Anxiety changed since then ?
Has its grip loosened at all ?
If you're anything like how I was for the first 20 years I suffered with SA, maybe not a whole lot changed.
Maybe you joined one or two Social Anxiety groups to meet new people with similar issues, and that's helped you better accept some aspects of your situation, or hanging with others who have social anxiety has helped you to feel more at ease.
That's a HUUUGE step.
But in terms of the symptoms of Social Anxiety, do they still come back in all the usual situations, with about as much "OOMPH !" as ever?
At your current rate of progress, could you imagine - in 4 months time - having only HALF the anxiety you have now?
How about in 8 months ?
'cause 8 Months is the amount of time it took me to overcome my Social Anxiety....
COMPLETELY... like, as in... within an 8 month period, I went from sweating nervously and feeling like all eyes were on me even when I SAT IN THE BACK ROW OF A DARK CINEMA THEATRE.... to feeling totally symptom-free and at ease ON AN ACTUAL STAGE, in front of 100's of people, with hundreds of pairs of eyes on me - and all those eyes were literally on me, only me - because it was a solo performance.. yet I felt totally at ease and comfortable the whole time.
In the space of 8 months, I felt MORE relaxed with loads of people staring at me than I ever did sitting in a quiet coffee shop or restaurant.... (And of course, those normal everyday out-in-public things became easy too).
I wouldn't have been acting on stage either, except that I had already beaten a lot of the anxiety and started to do things I couldn't have imagined doing just months prior... The things I had always wanted to do...but had always felt the fear was holding me back from doing...
But now I'm free ! (As if I would have been able to write this otherwise! )
Sound good to you ?
Cause I'm not saying it to 'brag' about how much I've managed to change, but to show you that it's possible to make thundering progress even if you're chronically anxious like I was.
The question is... How much do you want this freedom in your life ?
How would it feel to be able to talk to anyone without any anxiety at all?
To go anywhere with as much ease as if you're sitting in comfort alone, at home ?
How would it feel to get to know other people in the same situation, who are also working with you to get these massive gains in their lives?
- and what if these were people who understand you, and you all trust and bond with each other through this shared exploration?
The group part alone is incredibly powerful for change.
And it's not even the best part.
The best part is when you learn to SEE RIGHT THROUGH the mistaken ideas at the rotten core of Social Anxiety. I've got some great stories to describe how that feels. I will share those with you too if you're interested...
But the process is not some overnight quick-fixer upper. It's no magic bullet.
It takes time - with a reasonable dose of dedication...
You would need to give it a good try for at least...
8 months...
For this to work, we need a small, dedicated group. The beauty of the group is that you're in it together. For the long haul. No-one left behind.
Are you interested? Because there are only 6 places...
Come to this online meetup to decide if this is your cup of tea. If you're interested you can sign up and I'll let you know when the group opens up to new members afterwards.
This is an online meetup.
I will email the meetup URL during the week of the meetup.