I keep finding myself in situations where I am making small talk with people I don't know very well/am not yet comfortable around. Frequently, I end up in a place where I KNOW how the conversation should continue (ask about them/their day/the event/etc.), but, for whatever reason, I just can't bring myself to actually say it.
I seize up. I feel like my chest is being compacted into a ball and I often walk away feeling ashamed and stupid for not doing something which should have been so simple.
I figure that this is just a matter of "growing a pair," but I'd really like to know why this happens and whether or not there's anything that can make these situations easier. More than anything, I'm afraid that this habit make me appear off-putting or self-centered.