Best advice i have for you from me is to make the eye contact. Physical contact like a handshake can really help too. Eye contact is a natural way to connect with another pack individual. If you are relaxed and calm, a person can really feel the same and give some slack on the social tension. The handshake anitializes to both you and someone else that you feel comfortable enough to interact with them. Just take it easy, smile, and take a few deep breaths before meeting someone. Being yourself in convorsation should weed out anyone you wouldn't want to socialize with. And finally just go out and practice on some new people! talking will get easier, and meeting people will be more frequent after that. Just go for it!

What scares you more, that you will not like them, or that they will not like you?

Used to have the same phobia. For me, there were alot of layers to unravel. Once i could accept myself, without shame, or fear - it became much easier to let others in, and even to be around others.

I also realized that I don't need to please everyone. This took alot of pressure off. Like newman said - it's best to be yourself, but it's not always an easy thing to do, especially when there are so many "sides" to each one of us. Eye contact helps to connect with people, but when we are afraid to let people in - it can be quite scary to face someone. We must first face ourselves.

Does any of this resonate with you?
Can you describe your feelings in more detail?