Lately, I have realized that a man won't just fall on my lap without any effort from my part. Especially nowadays, men have to constantly deal with the pressure of getting rejected by women or being seen as a threat, so it is helpful to initiate, but in a feminine way.

I have issues with exuding my feminine energy. I want to learn how to keep my chin up, shoulders down and make eye contact with men. I rarely smile at men, even those who are my type. I'd love to overcome that fear of being flirtatious. I always assumed women who are big flirts must be too easy or desperate, and that my friends would judge me for flirting too much. Also, a part of me feels threatened to be vulnerable to any man, I fear that giving hints that I'm open might put me in a dangerous situation (not saying that men are r*apists, but I've encountered many creepy guys who didn't seem dangerous to me at first glance).
I also found through experience that being or even pretending to be helpless is a great way to attract men, can I go overboard with this? Will I be considered a pushover if I'm always expecting help from the opposite sex?
How can I give out the impression that I'm available, how can I start being playful and flirtatious? How can I act in a way towards men that signals that I'm being more than just friendly?