Social Anxiety to Social Confidence

While Christmas can be anxiety provoking with work parties, family get-togethers and present giving and receiving, New Year’s Eve can be a depressing time of year for those with social anxiety. I hope for all it is not, but unfortunately, for many it will be.

Our loneliness and isolation can be amplified when we know others around us are socialising and having fun. We may even feel jealous or envious with a sense of unfairness about the situation, and even though we know this is unhealthy, we may find it hard to shake the feelings.

It is good to know that some of the social anxiety sufferers I know are getting together this year to celebrate the new year and I hope that many other people with social anxiety have enjoyable celebrations lined up too, but I know there will also be many on their own, or who will feel alone while in the company of others.

I have had my fair share of New Year’s Eves that I do not wish to remember. Many of them were times when I felt very alone. If you are alone this New Year’s then I understand why you may be feeling sad or even depressed. Unfortunately, I cannot take that sadness away for you, but I encourage you to use it to your advantage.

There may not be enough time to find the confidence you need to fully enjoy this New Year’s Eve, but you have a whole year to make sure that next year’s is a different story. Use your sadness to drive you to start making steps towards building your confidence. You may not know how to yet, but when we have a strong need for something and start actively searching for answers, usually we will find them. It is quite probable that they will not be the answers you were expecting, so be prepared to search beyond what seems immediately obvious. When you step into 2009, make sure you have a plan to make this year different.

Make New Year’s Eve a time for you to reflect on the last year and put in place plans to make the next year your best to date. What better time than the last day of the year to plan for a life-changing year ahead. Others may be out having fun, but while they are out doing that, you could be taking the first steps towards something great. Make the last day of the year really count.

Whether you will be planning a new life or just enjoying the moment, I wish you all the best for the new year. I hope your plans for the year ahead will be all that you hoped for and more.