I've been practicing some progressive desensitization lately. I approached a few girls for the time and now I started giving them compliments.

One great fear of me is that everyone will laugh at me or judge me if I get rejected. That's why I am more comfortable in approaching girls when there are no people around.

However today I told a girl in a populated street she is cute and she just ignored me and continued walking. I felt awkward because I thought everyone was looking and judging me. However I looked around me and saw that everyone was minding their own business. There was a girl who looked at me but then looked away when she saw I noticed her watching me.

That was all. I (guess many other people as well) have a lot of irrational fears that aren't even true. I know that in theory, but when I am in the field I still hold on to these fears. But once you get out there and conquer your fear you see that it isn't that bad in the way you imagined it.