As I said, you could be right, hopefully someone else will give us some input soon so as I don't end up doing it infront of some mega-babe on new years and making myself look like an idiot

The guys here are really helpfull. Tell us your location, someone local may meet & give 121 advice on body language.
Write out positive affirmations & read them aloud 2x a day & do breathing exercises. It takes 3 weeks for a brain to change. So keep going.
Keep this thread alive to chart your progress. In 6 months everything will have improved. You'll look back & see this was the begining.

Peace

_________________
UK: www.puaforum.co.uk

firstly, well done for posting and for taking the first step. secondly, its not as hard as you think and a few simple changes will make all the difference.

1. change how you see yourself.
2. change how you talk to people
3. change how you let people talk to you.

also.
a. happy
b. healthy
c. firm

get a,b,c into each of the 1,2,3.

let me explain.
1. change how you see yourself. change your hair and clothes straight away, expect people that have known you forever to give you 2 days of "wow, what have you done to yourself" but it passes in 48 hours. i advice that you do a pretty major work over, go to a fashioable hairdresser, they're great and go to some "good" clothes shop where you feel the clothes match you in some way.
>>girls dont really care about this stuff, but we need to erase the old you from your own head. new hair and clothes is a good start. Also do some kind of training, walking running or lifting, just something that makes you feel youre getting better (healthy)

2. talk to people.
start with simple steps, its a long road. buy coffee each morning from the same place, and go in there ready with a nice, firm morning, hows things today? . . . . as a regular you will soon build up some conversation skills. now do this in all shops. also change the way you speak to friends and family, ask them questions about themselves, "how are things at work dad?", "how do you feel your studies are going Mike".... this allows you to be seen ina different light and also the one owning the questions owns the conversations.

3. change the way people talk to you.
make people repeat themselves is a simple way to own a conversation and to feel confiedent, in the coffee shop when the guy answerrs yhour questions, just say, "sorry, speak up, i didnt hear that", "thank you". if someone doesnt give a full answer just say, "in what way" or "explain that" a few "are you joking" works well.

do all this whilst staying fun, relaxed, calm.

once you start knowing, you can speak to strangers, start trying game theory.

good luck my friend