Essences to Ease Social Discomfort

We've all had moments when we felt so socially awkward that we would rather disappear than continue a conversation. Maybe we didn't know what to say, thought we said something stupid or blurted out something silly, followed by an awkward silence. And once we immerse ourselves in an uncomfortable social situation, we may pay more attention to the pets in the room and the paintings on the wall than the people we came to see. If the idea of small talk at networking events, small or large gatherings, or talking to strangers increases your heart rate, you are not alone. Research shows over half of the population experiences some aspect of social distress or shyness. If you consider yourself shy or socially awkward, you are most likely encountering an even more tragic paradox; you desperately want to make friends and feel part of a community, but self-conscious thoughts and feelings keep you from connecting with others.

Feeling like you don't belong or lack community can be painful. It can eventually result in loneliness and isolation. We are social beings, and being fully ourselves amongst peers is essential for our health and happiness. Still, it can be challenging if we feel most comfortable alone in nature or with our four-legged friends. While reading a book and snuggling with your dog under a cozy blanket are nurturing, meaningful interactions with other humans boost our moods, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem.

The following essences encourage us to believe in ourselves, stay heart-centered, and not be distracted by what we imagine others may think. They encourage us to feel more confident in our communication and social skills and help us create healthy boundaries to feel safe and secure enough to share our authentic selves with others. Some of the flowers we chose seem to hide in the forest, like Fairy Slipper and Lace Flower, but these elusive flowers can teach us how to be ourselves and connect with our fellow human beings. And they remind us that we all contribute something unique to this world.

Wild Sweet Pea – giving the best of ourselves in service to others
Wild Sweet Pea promotes confidence and ease in our interactions with others. When we lack confidence in our social skills and tend to isolate ourselves, this essence will encourage us to make meaningful connections. It will help us to look inside to find and embrace what we have to offer others and become more confident that our unique talents and abilities are worth sharing.

Lace Flower - releasing negative self-image for strong self-worth
One can easily walk by without noticing this little flower, but even the tiniest plant, insect, or mineral is a marvel of creation, adding significance to the whole. The same is true for us, even if we feel insignificant and unsure about how our personal or professional contributions fit into the whole. The essence of Lace Flower is beneficial when we have issues of extremely low self-esteem and self-worth that arise from cultural bias, prejudice, favoritism at work, or when a family member dominates us. Lace Flower helps us reconnect with the core of our inner worth to express our unique talents and abilities with grace, poise, and humility. Belief in ourselves and the quality of our expression holds more value than artificial and capricious approval by the people around us.

Fairy Slipper – standing in our spiritual wisdom and power
This attractive orchid features a unique pink and magenta-colored flower on each stem. The genus name, Calypso, is from the sea-nymph daughter of the titan Atlas. Calypso means concealment and refers to this flower's habit of hiding amongst mosses and other plant growth in the deep shade of dense spruce forests. It, therefore, makes an excellent essence for those who usually avoid being noticed. Fairy Slipper essence supports standing in our power and beauty and projecting individuality. It helps us manifest spiritual wisdom through our physical bodies and promotes clear communication by aligning us with Earth and spirit.

One-Sided Wintergreen - aware of our energetic interactions with people
The flowers of One-Sided Wintergreen symbolize how we can exist in close physical proximity to other people and still maintain the integrity of our energy field. The essence expands our awareness of the naturally occurring and harmonious energy exchange between people. By understanding this principle, we can become more sensitized to how the energies and actions of others impact us and, in turn, how our actions and energy affects others. It makes it easier for us to align with our Divine purpose and helps us refine our self-expression to project the truth of who we are to attract people and situations that support our truth.

Vesuvianite - building deep heart-centered loving relationships
Vesuvianite improves and magnifies our strength and stability by opening the heart chakra to a robust flow of loving energy coming up from the Earth and down from the higher realms. It is helpful for people with a strong spiritual focus who often feel lonely and find it challenging to form nurturing relationships in our three-dimensional human world. Vesuvianite increases our awareness of how we can embody our love for others and their love for us. It helps us feel more at ease in our hearts, making connecting with others easier and giving us the confidence to create and attract relationships.

Beyond Words – confidence in our best communication
Beyond Words is our Communication Formula. It helps us feel more present and safe to share ourselves with others. The formula contains the following essences:

• Azurite gem elixir helps us become more grounded in our communication to express ourselves with vitality and authenticity.
• Devil's Club flower essence helps us experience peace by knowing that we are secure and in harmony with our surroundings.
• Lamb's Quarters flower essence encourages the flowering of a softer and more heart-centered mental perspective.
• Lapis Lazuli gem elixir amplifies our ability to simultaneously hear and understand information from both physical and nonphysical sources.
• Sweetgale flower essence helps us identify and release deep emotional pain and tension that undermines the quality of our communication and interactions with others.
• Twinflower flower essence helps us learn to listen and speak to others from a place of inner calm and focused neutrality.
• Yellow Violet flower essence gives us the strength and confidence to naturally express the essential core of our beings without limitation or compromise.

More helpful essences for sharing the best of ourselves with others:

• Single Delight helps us feel welcome in family and group settings
• Alaska Violet supports the right energetic relationship between yourself, others, and the environment.
• Pasque Flower supports those who are shy and aloof, lose their sense of self in crowded or intimate situations, or feel over-sensitive to physical contact.
• Gold helps us access and express the highest aspects of our identity.
• Topaz strengthens our ability to act decisively from a clear sense of personal identity.
• Spectrolite refreshes and renews our perspective to see the magnificent in the mundane and the Divine in the ordinary.
• Peridot is the stone of new beginnings. It helps us initiate new cycles of learning and experience without fear.
• Apophyllite opens and softens the heart chakra and helps us relax and share what we have.