One suggestion that I think the article misses is "host parties".
I struggle a lot with social anxiety, but hosting brings everyone into a safe known space, you can always duck out to do the "jobs" the article suggests, and you learn a lot about how to manage the flow of people, set things up so everyone has a good time, and have an easy in to pretty much any conversation.
Hosting a good gathering (be it a small dinner or a drunken bash) is an important skill that's often overlooked.
I hate hosting parties much more than going to them. If I am hosting them, I have to wait until everyone leaves before I can go to bed. If I'm not hosting them, I only have to wait as long as I like.
I struggle a lot with social anxiety, but hosting brings everyone into a safe known space, you can always duck out to do the "jobs" the article suggests, and you learn a lot about how to manage the flow of people, set things up so everyone has a good time, and have an easy in to pretty much any conversation.
Hosting a good gathering (be it a small dinner or a drunken bash) is an important skill that's often overlooked.