Social anxiety, misdirected youth, nervousness, haste and fear.
A client was referred to me due to his ongoing struggles with confidence issues at his workplace, accompanied by social anxiety and nervousness that had persisted for years. He held doubts about the effectiveness of any potential healing.
To start our counseling journey, I proposed a solution that aimed to tap into his own emotions and ultimately rebuild his self-assurance. Initially, I requested him to make an upfront payment for the first four counseling sessions. Though hesitant, he complied. I then asked him to share the details of his issues, which he conveyed through a lengthy WhatsApp voice message of around 25 minutes. I acknowledged his effort but suggested that he provide the information in the written text for better preparation on my end. Upon receiving the written version, I scheduled an online appointment with him, allowing three days for preparation.
Deliberate Waiting Reduces Dependency – Raises Tolerance
On the appointed day, I intentionally made him wait for an hour before our conversation. After exchanging greetings, I inquired about his emotional state following the completion of the written text. As anticipated, he noted an improvement in his feelings and a slight boost in his confidence. He shared that after sending the voice note, his mind was filled with continuous thoughts. However, upon receiving my message to provide a summary of his problems, his mind urged him to analyze his issues logically. I opened his voice message and asked him to listen to his voice followed by reading his written one in a louder tone. This mental shift opened up
various perspectives and avenues for exploration.
Social Anxiety is a feeling of unease or worry in social situations. Listening own voice is even more challenging. People with social anxiety may feel nervous, self conscious, or afraid of being judged by others. These people have an internal fear of change which stops their adaptability to a new situation. ‘Change’ remains the sole constant process in the universe. Each individual is born with the innate capacity for progress and growth through continuous learning and knowledge acquisition.
The Key to Overcoming Fear and Building Confidence:
Learning represents change itself and is a catalyst for self-confidence. With knowledge, one can conquer one’s “fear of change,” an internal apprehension often aggravated by peer pressure, misguided parenting, or controlling influences. When this fear is confronted, it transforms reluctance or hesitancy. These feelings of
reluctance may manifest when responding to a teacher’s questions in class, resulting in procrastination that generates negative energy, fear, social anxiety, nervousness, and weakened decision-making.
