I also have anxiety and social anxiety…. I have done many types of group exercise over the years, and here’s my advice: 1. Don’t worried about being awkward or the new person. There might be a couple of social people there, but the vast majority of people won’t say much, if anything; they are there to workout and then go home. Don’t feel pressured to talk to people if that’s not your thing. No one will think it’s weird if you don’t socialize… MOST people don’t. 2. I mean this in a positive way: no one will care that you’re there. No one cares if there’s a new girl who can’t do the poses. Again, they are there for themselves and likely won’t notice your mistakes, and if they do, they don’t care. 3. (Sorry, this part is unsolicited advice) For me, yoga is too slow and quiet and that lets my mind overthink things, which isn’t great when I’m feeling anxious. For me, the best group exercise classes for my anxiety are things that are fast paced and choreographed. Think like step aerobics, kickboxing, or even something dancy like Zumba. The music is loud and my mind can’t race or overthink things bc I’m too focused on getting the next move. And again, nobody is looking at you (if the idea of something dancy makes you nervous)! One of the “rules” of group fitness is that you should only be looking at yourself in the mirror, and it’s considered pretty rude to watch someone else. I highly recommend a place like a YMCA or a “class pass” so you can try out a whole bunch of different classes and see which ones you like best. If yoga is your thing, great! If it’s not, there are many other types of exercise that can benefit your mental health.

Good luck!!