Back when I started my apprenticeship, I was a socially anxious, awkward kid. I found it very difficult to speak to adults without stuttering and sounding confu

Back when I started my apprenticeship, I was a socially anxious, awkward kid. I found it very difficult to speak to adults without stuttering and sounding confused. But over the years, I've completely changed. I still wouldn't say I'm an extrovert but I find it much easier to talk to people and my heart doesn't feel like it's going to pound out of my chest when I'm placed in an unfamiliar situation. I think there's a sort of psychological training involved that you can only get by making yourself uncomfortable. I've also found that watching YouTube helps me pick up social skills, as stupid as it sounds. I'm not diagnosed with autism but I strongly suspect I'm on the spectrum. Once I realised this, I realised that I could become sociable by imitation. By studying social interaction it's possible to learn patterns and apply them in your daily life. Eventually it gets so easy that you don't have to even think about it. For example, I've learned that smiling and starting conversations gently instead of abruptly jumping into a topic at hand works wonders because people will feel more comfortable and want to help. It is possible to change and I encourage you to do whatever you can to push yourself forward even if it means being temporarily uncomfortable.