If you want to practice your people skills, getting a retail job and having face-to-face interactions with customers works like a charm.

You can't overcome social anxiety overnight — so set small, baby-step goals for yourself, that way you don't get overwhelmed.

If you're an animal lover, there's no better way to get out of your shell than volunteering at a shelter or pet adoption center.

This one is definitely easier said than done, but it's important to stop worrying about what everyone thinks of you in any given social situation, and simply be.

When you're having a conversation, making eye contact is crucial to forming a connection, and will make you seem more confident than if your focus is elsewhere.

Instead of sitting around worrying about all the things that *might* happen in a given situation, try keeping yourself busy so you don't have time to over-think.

If writing is your jam, try writing down your thoughts/fears in an "anxiety journal" as a way to help you rationalize your anxieties and keep track of your progress.

When all else fails, sometimes faking it til you make it can work wonders.

Being thrown into a new environment when you have social anxiety can feel overwhelming, so take it one step at a time and allow yourself to slowly adjust to new places.

When you're feeling anxious at a social event, having a buddy to lean on can really help calm you down.

If there's one specific thing that makes you anxious (like talking on the phone), find ways to work up to conquering that fear bit by bit.

Being physically active can help boost your confidence, and doing a group activity or class also gives you a chance to meet and interact with new people.

When you have social anxiety, every screw-up can feel like the end of the world — but it's important to keep in mind that no one is perfect, and (most) mistakes are really NBD.

If parties overwhelm you, try this Redditor's trick: say hi to everyone, leave the room and take a moment for yourself, and then return feeling more prepared to deal with the situation.

If you have anxiety, it's so important to make sure you're taking time to relax and recharge, in whatever way works best for you.

When you need help calming down or ridding your brain of negative, anxiety-induced thoughts, practicing meditation and mindfulness can really help.

Instead of letting others come to you, go and seek out conversations with people — even if it's the cashier at the grocery store — so you can practice socializing in a low-pressure way.

We're all a little awkward and weird — so why not embrace that instead of agonizing over it?

Having an active pet like a dog will force you to get out of the house — and a cute furry friend is the perfect talking point. If adopting one is not in the cards, considering walking one or spending time with a friend's dog.

If you're having trouble coming up with a conversation topic, just remember that there's one thing all people love to talk about: themselves.

Sometimes, the easiest way to feel confident in a social setting is to *look* confident — so keep an eye on your posture.

Conventions, like ComicCons ,can seem overwhelming because of how crowded they are, but they're also a great way to interact with others and bond over your shared interests.

There's nothing that will force you to confront your anxieties faster than taking a solo vacation to a foreign country.

If you have trouble with public speaking, joining a local Toastmasters group can give you the tools and opportunity to practice talking in front of people in a safe space.

The more time you spend working on improving yourself, the more confident you'll become — which, in turn, can help you feel less anxious socially.

If you want to learn what tools will work best for your social anxiety specifically, trying professional CBT is something to consider.

You can't help who you fall in love with, but if you happen to be dating an extrovert, that can be a great way to get out of your social comfort zone.

If you want to be the instant life of any party, taking dancing lessons (or teaching yourself), becoming a pro, and showing off your skills somewhere — like a wedding — can do the trick.

Even if you're only inviting over five people once a month, having those get-togethers can help you gradually improve your social skills in a less stressful way than say, going out to bars and trying to chat with strangers.

Have an extra large funny bone? Sign up for an improv class as a way to help break out of your comfort zone.

It might be easier to say no to potential plans, but if you want to get more comfortable in social settings, make "just say yes" your new mantra.

Ultimately, there's no one foolproof way to "cure" social anxiety, because not everyone experiences anxiety in the same way. All you can do is try to find what works for you, celebrate even small moments of progress, and remember not to be too hard on yourself — because you're far from alone in feeling anxious.