First, be kind to yourself. Every person has a different cadence and that’s ok. Listen to Christopher Walken or Marian Freeman. Different cadences can be wonderful.

Second, practice! Work on small talk in low pressure situations. Grocery store clerks, gas station clerks, any retail experience. Ask “how’s your day going?” Smile. Laugh at their jokes. Learn to enjoy the curiosity about the inner world of other people as expressed through their words. Your goal isn’t perfection but instead a little progress at a pace that is perfect for you.

Third, rest. Take some time away from tv and movies. Let your brain rest. Huberman lab podcast has a good one on focus that applies here. Sleep, diet, and regular light exercise are key here. Have a month where you sleep enough and get 20-30 minutes of walking outside most days. You will sleep better.

Lastly, work on your memory. Build a mind palace. Anthony Metivier and his magnetic memory podcast give away for free the entire procedure. He talks a lot about buying his classes, but that isn’t necessary. You can store phrases and little stories in your mind palace. I found that focusing on improving my memory increased my confidence in my memory. Weird.