Why Social Anxiety Makes You Awkward (And What To Do About It!)
anxiety journey awkward moment awkwardness coping with anxiety fear of rejection feeling unworthy release your self social anxiety struggles why social anxiety makes you awkward Aug 08, 2024
Ever feel like social anxiety turns you into an awkward mess? Like every conversation is filled with uncomfortable pauses and awkward silences? Before you decide that you're doomed to hide away forever, I’ve got good news: not only is awkwardness less catastrophic than you think, but overcoming it is entirely possible.
In this post, we’ll explore how social anxiety fuels that feeling of awkwardness and, more importantly, how you can break free from it so you can confidently be yourself in any social situation.
Social Anxiety = Awkwardness: Here’s Why
"Awkward equals afraid."
Let’s break it down: awkwardness isn’t just about not knowing what to say or fumbling over your words. At its core, awkwardness is driven by fear. The fear of being judged, rejected, or disliked. When you're anxious, your brain goes into overdrive, convincing you that the stakes are high in every conversation. One misstep, and you’ll be exposed as “unworthy” of friendship, love, or acceptance.
When social anxiety has you in its grip, even the smallest pause in conversation feels like death. You might freeze up and say nothing, or you might ramble on, trying to fill the silence. Either way, it feels excruciating.
The Root of Awkwardness: Fear of Rejection
"Every time you have a moment where you don’t know what to say, you confirm this deep, dark fear that there’s something wrong with me."
The real issue behind social anxiety isn’t the awkward moment itself—it’s the underlying fear that something is inherently wrong with you. When you don’t have the perfect response, your brain jumps to the worst possible conclusion: "I'm unlovable," or "I’m not good enough." This shame spiral makes even minor social hiccups feel like massive failures.
But here’s the truth: those awkward moments don’t mean there’s something wrong with you. They just mean you’re human. And humans aren’t perfect in every interaction.
How to Release Yourself from Awkwardness
"The key to releasing yourself from awkwardness is to release yourself from the need to control others."
One of the most powerful steps you can take to free yourself from awkwardness is to let go of the need to control how others perceive you. You don’t need to make everyone like you, and you don’t need to impress anyone to be okay.
Before your next social interaction, try this simple mantra: I don’t need to control anybody to feel safe. I’m okay just as I am. This mindset will help you stay grounded, reduce your anxiety, and allow you to navigate social moments more naturally.
You Are Not Your Fear—You’re Awesome
You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of connection. And every awkward moment is an opportunity to remind yourself that you’re enough, just as you are. Social anxiety may create the feeling of awkwardness, but by addressing the fear beneath it, you can break free and confidently show up as yourself.
Remember, every step you take toward facing your fear helps you build a new data set of positive experiences. And with each experience, you’ll realize that awkwardness isn’t the catastrophe it seems—it's just another part of being human.
You've got this.
Reading blogs and watching videos online is a start...
When you are ready to radically transform your confidence so you speak up freely, boldly go after what you want, connect easily with others and be 100% unapologetically yourself, coaching is the answer.
Dr. Aziz Gazipura
Author
Dr. Aziz is the worldโs leading confidence expert. He helps people break free from hesitation, fear, and self-doubt so they can rapidly grow their businesses, become more powerful leaders, and enjoy outstanding relationships.
CATEGORIES
All Categories #2024 #attract #authenticity #confidence #confident #controlling #empathy #empowerment #freedom #growth #needy #nice #niceness #observing #presenting #repetition #responsibility #self-belief #selfdoubt #sociallyconfident acceptance afraid of everything ambition vs wellness anxiety anxiety awareness anxiety journey anxiety support approach with ease asking assertive assertiveness attachment styles authentic authentic connections authentic living authentic self authenticity authenticself avoid mistakes avoidance avoidant attachment awkward moment awkwardness be confident be interesting be your own boss believe in yourself believes in yourself body positive bold action bold authenticity boost selfesteem boost your confidence boosting confidence boundaries brave heart bravery break cycle break free break the silence breaking silence breakup breakupfears build friendship building confidence building trust building up burnout culture capability change chase you dream chasing balance communication skills comparing confidence confidence boost confidence building confidence coach confidence goals confidence hack confidence hacks confidence is key confidence journey confidence mindset confidence mistake confidence tips confidence truth confident approach confident mindset connecting deeply connection connection matters conquer anxiety conquer insecurities consistent practice control conversation conversation confidence conversation ettiquette conversation skills coping with anxiety courage courage over fear cringe criticism danger dealing deep conversations deep talk deliberate practice desensitize discomfort tolerance dislike disliked doubtless earning confidence effective communication embrace confidence embrace flaws embrace imperfection embrace mistake embrace your self embrace your voice emotional growth emotional wellbeing emotional wellness empathy empower yourself empowerment empowerment at work face fears face your fears failure fear fear of people fear of rejection fearless fearless live more fearless living feedback feeling unworthy filters find your passion free friendship goals friendship journey friendship tips genuine relationships goals good enough gradual exposure gratitude greatest fear growth mindset guilt guilty happiness healing journey healing together healing within healthy ambition identity imrprovement inferior inferiority inner critic inner peace inner strength insecurity inspiratins inspiration integrity interesting interrupting interviewmastery intimacy invisibility isolation jobconfidence jobinterview learn and grow less sensitive lie life on your terms likeability likeable live authentically live boldly live with purpose live your best life love yourself making friends meaningful talk meet new people mental health mental health awareness mental health matters mental strength mindful ambition mindful living mindset mindset matters mindset shift missed oppurtunities mistakes motivation moving on nagging navigating relationships negative thoughts new connection nice niceness not nice omos others opinion overcome overcome awkwardness overcome challenges overcome fear overcome fears overcome insecurity overcome phobias overcome voice anxiety overcoming fear overcoming obstacles own your life past mistakes people pleaser no more people pleasing perceiving reality perfectionism perfectly imperfect personal development personal growth personal power phobia polite but firm positive minds positive mindset presentation skills pressure professional growth public confidence public speaking pushy real unfiltered reality redefine success regainconfidence regrets rejection rejection proof relationship release your self resilience respect conversation responsible romantic confidence sabotaging confidence saying no seeking rejection seen self acceptance self advocacy self authority self awareness self belief self boundaries self compassion self confidence self determination self discovery self doubt self empowerment self esteem self esteem boost self growth self growth journey self improvement self love self love journey self value self worth self-esteem selfcare selfesteem sensitive sex shame recovery signs singleness social anxiety social anxiety struggles social awareness social confidence social connections social skills social success sound better speak up speak up for mental health stand up for yourself stay confident stop being afraid stop pleasing strength striving for more success success without sacrifice successful take control taking risk talk to anyone talking therapeutic journey therapy helps therapy works too nice total ownership toxicity transform your life true connections true self truth bomb uncomfortable growth unlock your potential visibility voice acceptance voice confidence voice journey vulnerability want why social anxiety makes you awkward wins work work life balance workplace workplace confidence workplace wellbeing you are enough you are not alone you are the authority you got this you matter
GET YOUR FREE CONFIDENCE MINI-COURSE NOW!
Unleash Your Inner Confidence Today!
Click On The Button Below To Get Your FREE Mini-Course Right Now!
GOT CONFIDENCE?
Confidence University is the culmination of all my years of work assisting others with overcoming social anxiety and building unstoppable confidence in its place. It's the next best thing to work with me one-on-one.