Too often, it happens that we see people doing something fun, and think it might be fun to do that too. It doesn't matter what: address a crowd, dress like a clown, jump in a fountain, sing at a karaoke bar, whatever. That's not what's important. What is important is that we deny ourselves that activity because we're afraid.

What are we afraid of?

See, here's the thing: what we are actually afraid of is what other people will think of us. This idea is wrong at its core.

The people who are closest to you love you and accept you for who you are already. As such, you don't really need to worry about them that much.

If this is not the case, then you need new friends anyway, and the outcome is the same: you don't need to worry about them, and you were probably better off knowing this now.

That leaves the rest of the world.

Now, I want you to pay attention to what you are doing here in your head. You are worrying about what everyone else is thinking of you. Well in all seriousness, let me ask you, don't you think they are doing the same thing? You don't need to worry about what they think of you, because they're not thinking anything of you; rather, they're spending all their mental energy worring about what you're thinking of them.

Now, don't get me wrong, this is not 100%. I can think, for instance, of one case where a redhead with nice legs wandered into my field of view. I won't tell you what I was thinking of her, but you know what I was thinking of her. Naturally, I married her. As such, I also know (because she told me) that she put those legs on display because of what she thought of me. This sort of thing, though, is the exception, rather than the rule, and by being the risk taker, you can meet interesting people and maybe even start something.

Go on, give it a try.