Steve is known by his friends to be the life of the party, a true 'social butterfly'. But few know that Steve himself grapples with deep-rooted social anxiety. As soon as he is not the center of attention, he feels excluded from the rest of the group. This really bothers him, so in this session, I coach him to get a better understanding of why social situations are so stressful and often upsetting to him. He is even concerned that he may be a narcissist, as he feels a constant need for validation from those around him. So in this conversation, we delve deeper into the topic of friendship, fear of exclusion, and the desire to belong.

In this episode, we trace Steve's development from the kid that used to eat his school lunches alone, not part of the 'cool kids' at all, to the popular guy he is today. We get to the bottom of his social anxiety, and the unhealthy coping mechanisms he's developed to hide his insecurities. I help Steve see what he can do to start showing up more authentically in his relationships with others, and how to stop depending so heavily on others for validation. The vulnerability of this coaching session is truly remarkable, and Steve leaves this session with powerful take-aways.

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For more information, or to apply for a spot to be coached on the podcast, please visit our website: www.thesmartrebel.com/podcast

About Simone:

Simone Eringfeld is a giftedness coach based in the UK. She works with gifted polymaths from around the world. Besides running her business “The Smart Rebel”, Simone is also a researcher in the field of Polar Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Instagram: @thesmartrebel_

Website: www.thesmartrebel.com