Sound familiar?  This may be a situation you find yourself in when out at a party or a social event. But here's some good news: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  Dr. Philip G. Zimbardo, a psychologist at Stanford University, has found in his research that the majority of people experience a social phobia, just like you. And what about those friends of yours that you consider social butterflies?  They are actually the minority.  Only a small percentage of people in the U.S. believe they are never socially awkward.   While many researchers believe that people can eventually grow out of their shyness stage, why wait?  Try these pointers to turn you from a wallflower to an up-and-coming socialite:

1. Worried about how to initiate conversation?  Try something simple like asking someone how he or she got invited to the party.
2.  Now that you are talking, take a deep breath, clear your mind and open up your ears.  Be an active listener.  Don't think about what you are going to say next, instead pay attention to what the person is saying. It's not always about you, ya know.
3.  Who? What? Where? When? Why? WHOA! Rather than jumping around from topic to topic, stick to one thing.  Ask a follow up question to what the person has said. Not only will it keep the conversation going, but it will show that you are sincerely interested.
   

So, yes-admit it, embrace it: YOU ARE SHY!  It is a basic human condition that the majority of us exhibit.  The next time you find yourself in an awkward social situation, start taking those small steps.  Before you know it, you might become the life of the party!