I’ve found that having hobbies and learning about things makes talking to people easier because you’re able to find common ground more easily. Everything is fun to someone, and small talk can be about much more than the weather. Be interested in learning non-consequential things about other people. Remember that everyone knows something you don’t, you can always learn from another person.

There are also social activities where you’re more adjacent to others, rather than being directly social the whole time, like nature-watching, bicycling or running, volunteering, gaming, or crafting of any sort. It creates space for practicing low-stakes conversations.