[drjannakoretz]

I agree with what other folks have said. Participating in a hobby with others (e.g., workout class, painting, tennis) will give you a shared interest to begin conversation, which can make connecting less anxiety provoking. Finding a group that helps others (such as mentorship within the tech space, or helping at risk youth with college prep, or working with animals at the shelter) is also a nice way to connect with others on a mission that has greater meaning, which can be motivating from an attendance perspective, but also help with making conversation since you can also talk big ideas with those around you.

I also think that taking time to notice people in your environment can be helpful. We are all so glued to our phones that there are a lot of missed opportunities to talk to others and connect in our day to day. Maybe someone is struggling with their coffee at starbucks, and the simple act of helping them starts up a conversation. That interaction can either be a practice interaction (a smaller short term interaction to prove to yourself it isn't as scary as perhaps the anticipation made you think it was) but also has the potential for a real connection with someone.

Looking for facts can also be helpful in managing social anxiety. For example, if you're worried that people won't like you if you speak with them, think to yourself "how would I know if people didn't like me? Would people tell me Im affable? What does it look like when people don't like other people, and is that happening to me?" Often how we feel isn't really based in facts, and by realizing this, it is easier to overcome the feelings that interfere with our ability to do what we want to do.