HOW DOES HONESTY, LOVE & ACCEPTANCE HELP US OVERCOME SOCIAL ANXIETY?
In order to overcome my social anxiety, I used a process that I call "Honesty, Love, Acceptance & the Bathroom Break".
Here is what these concepts mean:
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🔸 HONESTY - When I was EMOTIONALLY HONEST with people... my shame and anxiety went down.
🔸 LOVE - When I dared to LOVE PEOPLE, care about them, and be truly interested in them... my fear of people went down, and I was able to be FULLY PRESENT with them in the moment.
🔸 ACCEPTANCE - When I found a way to ACCEPT my anxiety symptoms (and focus on LOVE & HONESTY instead)... my anxiety symptoms were less strong, they came less and less frequently and they faded away.
🔸 THE BATHROOM BREAK - If ever the above principles of Honesty, Love, and Acceptance weren't working and my anxiety was staying and staying... I would force myself to take a bathroom break to access my SELF-HONESTY:
In the bathroom, I would ask myself, "What is REALLY going on? What am I REALLY feeling?" This would enable my REAL SELF-HONESTY to become clear.
I would then walk back into the social situation, and apply "Honesty, Love, and Acceptance" again... and this time, it would work. <3
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You may be thinking, "Well, I tried this process at the party last week and it didn't work."
Yes, this is because you have to first apply this with the people who are the MOST important to you... the people you want to connect with the MOST.
You have to be truly honest and vulnerable with these people... You have to tell them the things you don't want to say.
I do this together with my clients. I encourage them to be HONEST WITH ME, and tell me the things they don't want to say.
I am also completely honest with them... revealing things about me that I don't to say. <3
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It is THIS process of "Honesty, Love, and Acceptance" WITH EACH OTHER that enables my clients to free themselves from the DEEPEST SHAMES at the root of their social anxiety.
They feel less alone... They feel understood... They start seeing themselves the way I see them... They see how wonderful they really are! <3
I then help them apply these concepts of "Honesty, Love, and Acceptance" with everyone else after that... starting with the people who they want to connect with the most and then moving outwards.
This order is so important in overcoming social anxiety... and it is also the best way to improve our relationships and make new friends.
Check out my video "How to Apply Honesty from the Inside Out" here.
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This how to use Honesty, Love, and Acceptance to overcome social anxiety.
I hope you found this helpful.
I would love to hear your feedback on this process.
Let me know if you have any questions or would like to find out more.
To your recovery & empowerment... <3
Marni Penner
A Kanadai Coach :)