@thor A general rule is that if you have anxiety over those things, you're wrong about 85%+ of the time in predicting a negative outcome.

I'd recommend very low impact and investment to start. Think of brief questions to ask strangers, neighbours, cashiers etc. Stuff like:
- "nice day" / "I hope this rain stops tomorrow"
- "hey my phone died, do you have the time?"
- Is there a bookshop nearby?
- Which coffee blend would you recommend?

It really doesn't matter.

The key is to prepare it in advance and only aim for a one sentence question, one sentence answer. That way it really can't go badly.

As you get more comfortable with those examples, you'll find it easier to ask more open questions or make statements that invite longer responses.