You overcome shyness and social anxiety gradually, by taking small social steps, preparing in advance, and shifting focus away from what will they think of me. Confidence in social situations is built through small, repeated practice, not by waiting to suddenly feel brave.
Start with small steps. You do not have to give a speech tomorrow. Begin small, answer one question in class, greet a classmate, speak up in a small group. Each small success makes the next step easier and slowly shrinks the fear.
Prepare to feel less anxious. A lot of social anxiety is fear of fumbling. Preparing, knowing what you will say, practising a presentation, reading ahead so you can answer, gives you something solid to lean on and reduces the nerves.
Shift the focus off yourself. Shyness often comes from feeling everyone is watching and judging you. In reality people are far more focused on themselves. Focusing on the conversation or the task, rather than on yourself, eases the pressure.
Example: A shy Class 11 student in Chandigarh dreaded speaking in class. She started by answering one easy question daily and joining small group chats. Over a few months the small wins built real confidence, and she eventually presented to the whole class.
Be kind to yourself about mistakes. You will sometimes stumble over words, everyone does. Treat it lightly. People respect effort far more than they judge small slips, and most forget them instantly.
One practical tip: Each week, set one small brave social goal, ask a doubt aloud, start one conversation, volunteer one answer, and do it despite the nerves. Confidence grows from doing the small scary things. If social anxiety feels severe or stops your daily life, a counsellor can genuinely help.