Relieve Social Anxiety Naturally: Five Simple Steps to Fortify Your “Social Immune” System
Do you ever feel that social situations can drain your energy? If so, you’re not alone.
At one point in history, it may have been typical to go through your day and only encounter a few select people. In a hunter-gatherer tribe or small village, you might have only engaged with close family members and a couple close friends on a normal day.
In the modern world, however, most people encounter plenty of strangers or acquaintances throughout a typical week. And with every social interaction, you’re often confronted with the energies, opinions, and emotions that other people are carrying in.
Just as it’s important for your physical body to have a strong immune system in order to not get sick, it’s also important to have a strong “social immune system” in order to not get thrown out of balance in the midst of social situations. This is especially true for introverts or those prone to social anxiety. Fortunately, ancient wisdom can help you solve this modern-day challenge.
In this blog, you’ll discover how Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong can empower you to feel centered and resilient when engaging with both strangers and friends.
A Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong Approach to Social Resilience
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, practitioners talk about Wei Qi. Wei Qi is your protective energy that helps you stay safe against harmful external influences.
Often, Wei Qi is discussed within the context of your immune system and physical health. If you have strong Wei Qi, it generally means that your immune system is functioning well and you’re less vulnerable to catching illnesses. However, your Wei Qi also plays an essential role when it comes to the more subtle aspects of external energy, including your resilience against the challenges of various social situations.
If you sometimes feel uncomfortable or uneasy in social situations, you may benefit from strengthening your Wei Qi. There are a variety of ways you can do this, including specific practices as well as moment-to-moment decisions that shape how you feel.
Below, you’ll learn five practical tips that can help you boost your “social immune system” so you can minimize social discomfort and get the most out of your connections with others.
1. Choose People and Environments that Uplift Your Energy
Your environment has a big influence on your internal energy system. If you’re constantly in an environment that leads you to be stressed out or anxious, that can really take a toll on your social comfortability.
In order to enjoy your social experiences, it’s best to choose people and places that make you feel uplifted and alive. When you spend time with individuals who are supportive and make you laugh, it’s easier to stay in an empowered place within yourself.
As much as you might want to only spend time in such environments, that’s often not always possible. When you find yourself in social situations that aren’t as naturally comfortable, that’s when the other tips come into play.
2. Get Grounded Before Entering Social Situations
Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong emphasize the importance of preventative medicine in staying healthy and vital. Just as it’s essential to take steps to strengthen your physical immune system before illnesses occur, the same is true when it comes to your “social immune system.”
Before entering social situations, take some time to reconnect with yourself and get grounded. This can include taking a walk in nature, journaling, or doing any activity that helps remind you of your own individuality and autonomy. When you have a strong connection to yourself, it’s much easier to feel confident and at ease when you’re engaging with others.
3. Discern Between Real Threats and Simple Annoyances
In social situations, many of the things that cause stress or discomfort have to do with your perception of others’ behaviors or thoughts. If you’re constantly perceiving others’ thoughts or behaviors as a threat, you’re likely going to feel anxious, upset, or on edge.
For example, let’s say that you encounter someone who is rude to you or who you feel may have a judgment of you. In both of these situations, the other person’s action or thought doesn’t actually pose a real threat to you. Therefore, instead of getting defensive or being reactive, you can simply smile and let their negativity (i.e., noxious Qi) pass right by you without impacting how you feel.
If someone actually intends to hurt you or someone else, then it might be necessary to do something for protection. However, the vast majority of frustrating social behaviors you might encounter can be seen as simple annoyances rather than real threats that warrant a strong response.
4. Don’t Get Pulled into Others’ “Realities”
Connected to the point above, try to stay rooted in your own personal values and sense of empowerment, even when those around you have a different worldview. If you’re in an environment that operates based on differing values, it’s important to stay connected to your own beliefs about what really matters in life.
For example, if you’re in an environment in which others believe wealth or status defines a person’s value, you may be uncomfortable if you start to buy into their definition of value. On the other hand, if you’re able to stay rooted in your own values, values in which wealth does not define your personal worth, then you’ll feel confident and at ease.
5. Let Things Go
Just as your body and mind suffers when stress accumulates within you, your sense of social confidence erodes when you hold onto frustrating social experiences. If you allow yourself to stay frustrated about others’ views or others’ challenging behaviors, it will harm your “social immune system.”
In order to enjoy the presence of others, it’s important to be able to let go of other people’s annoying tendencies. After all, you can’t control others’ behavior, but you do have some control over how you allow their behavior to impact your well-being.
Of course, all of these tips are easy to conceptualize, but they are not always easy to implement. If you’re interested in discovering techniques that put these theories into practice, be sure to check out Qi Gong.
Learn Practices to Deepen Your Connection to Yourself and Boost Your “Social Immune System”
Qi Gong uses slow, meditative movements that connect your mind, body, and spirit. In doing so, you’re able to tap into your deepest and truest self. This helps you stay centered, confident, and at ease amid all of life’s social situations.
Additionally, there are numerous other benefits of Qi Gong, including reduced stress, increased energy, and improved emotional balance. Learn more about Qi Gong and get access to two weeks of free Qi Gong classes taught by master teacher Lee Holden.
