Buzz
If social situations make you anxious, doing something nice for others may help ease your discomfort and make you feel more at ease in their presence.
A study published in the journal Motivation and Emotion, led by Dr. Jennifer Trew and Professor Lynn Alden, found that acts of kindness helped reduce participants' fears of rejection. This reduction in fear allowed them to feel more comfortable in social settings and engage with others more confidently. Trew elaborates:
Acts of kindness can help counteract negative social expectations by fostering more positive perceptions of the social environment. This reduces social anxiety and makes individuals less likely to shy away from social interactions.
In essence, performing kind acts for others lessens the worry about negative social outcomes, increasing confidence in social situations. Being kind not only benefits others but can also alleviate your own social anxiety. To learn more, check out the study linked below.
Image credit: Lili Vieira de Carvalho.
