How to Talk to Strangers When You Have Social Anxiety | Ep. 503

In this episode, I walk you through the practical skills I teach my clients with social anxiety when they want to feel more comfortable talking to strangers and connecting with others. Instead of expecting conversation to suddenly feel natural, we start small and build these skills through repetition. We begin with open body language, a gentle smile, and brief eye contact before working our way up to saying hello, offering a compliment, asking a simple question, and eventually practicing small talk.

I also talk about why the goal isn’t to have a perfect interaction or get a certain response from the other person. Someone might smile back, barely respond, or let the conversation fizzle out, and that’s okay. Success is simply practicing the interaction despite the anxiety and allowing yourself to be imperfect while you do it.

Most importantly, I encourage you to practice these skills again and again in low-pressure situations. Social confidence is something we can build over time, and every small interaction is another opportunity to strengthen that skill. You don’t need to wait until you feel confident or anxiety-free to begin. Start small, give yourself permission to be awkward, celebrate your wins, and keep practicing.