A simple, calming teal circle emblem with a gentle gradient, evoking a sense of calm and personal growth. Social Anxiety Mentor Step by Step Guide
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Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness — Step by Step

Shyness and social anxiety can range from mild to extremely debilitating. They can stop people from developing friendships, working, and even going anywhere in public. Many well-known figures have experienced social anxiety — including Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Bowie, David Letterman, Nicole Kidman, and Jim Carrey. The more you learn and understand it, the more you can feel in control.

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Journal

Why you might avoid making eye contact and how to practise it slowlyFor many people who live with social anxiety, the simple act of holding someone's gaze can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff. The urge to look away,…
How to Gradually Build Your Tolerance for Being the Center of AttentionStanding up in a Brisbane staff meeting to share your screen. Giving a toast at a wedding in the Hunter Valley. Asking a question during a Melbourne book club.…
When You Feel Invisible in Group ConversationsYou know the moment. Someone at the table makes a joke, the room laughs, and you were already halfway through your thought. You open your mouth, then close it.…
Role-Playing to Prepare for Difficult Social SituationsWalking into a room full of strangers at a Melbourne networking event, or sitting across from a manager who wants to discuss a missed deadline, can leave your…
Why Sunday Scaries Before Work Hit So HardThere is a familiar sinking feeling that tends to arrive during the late shift of Sunday afternoon. The weekend has had its usual mix of rest, family…
Filling Awkward Silences With Words That Feel Like YouA two-second silence in conversation can feel like an hour when social anxiety is in the room. The brain treats a pause as evidence that something has gone…
How to Reframe a Social Interaction That Didn't Go as PlannedYou walk out of a networking event in Sydney's CBD, sit on the train through the Inner West, and within minutes the conversation you had with that project lead…
How to Use Timed Exposure to Reduce Phone Call AnxietyPicking up the phone to ring a tradie, a doctor's reception, or an old friend can feel like stepping in front of traffic. For many Australians, mobile phones…
bright lights and loud noise crank up your social anxietySocial anxiety is often remembered as a fear of being watched or judged, but plenty of people notice that certain physical environments make their symptoms…
Beyond perfect: embracing imperfect conversations with confidenceFor many people who live with social anxiety, the idea that an interaction could go anything less than smoothly feels threatening. A pause that stretches too…

Explore the Shyness and Social Anxiety blog for more articles and insights.