Become a phoenix from the ashes

I have had social anxiety for most of my life. Looking back at my school years I can see it in myself despite me not understanding what the emotions were or where they stemmed from at that point. I feared speaking to people, which is so utterly toxic. As of today, socialising with people is my greatest source of happiness. This is symbolic of my overall turnaround as a human being. The way to battle social anxiety, and it is a vicious one, is to slowly take small steps in the right direction. Slowly exposing yourself to increasingly “scary” situations. Start off by taking a train journey, having a one on one with a close friend, or simply having a walk. It is important to bear in mind that you need to know your limits. If you are in a dark place and instantly attempt public speaking, this can prove to be traumatic and counter your development. Slowly building up your confidence and comfort in situations via everyday tasks is the key. For me antidepressants have made this a lot ...

 Emotion can be likened in many ways to a stock on the market. The fluctuations can be frantic at times, however investment most likely sees an overall positive trajectory. Investment includes simple everyday things such as getting outside even on walks, talking with friends or whatever gives you happiness or purpose.  It is important when your stock is falling not to despair. The knowledge that stocks are volatile and will inevitably rise once again is useful knowledge for it provides hope, even when your stock has reached its lowest value.  Invest. invest. invest, and revel in the long-term gains of the value of your stock.