I used to be really shy and self-conscious until recently, so I had a hard time coming up with things to say on dates or after extended flirting. Not too long ago I had a few realizations that helped me improve my confidence pretty significantly, so I've been testing the waters and talking to a few girls recently for practice. Not just practice talking but eye contact, smiling, being comfortable, body language etc. But a lot of times I feel like they either get bored or annoyed with how MUCH I talk now. I make sure I'm polite and don't cut them off while they're talking, I try to ask questions to get them to talk about themselves a little more, but it always seems to end up with me doing the majority of the talking in the end. Sometimes I'll feel actually drained after a conversation just from how much effort I put in to keep it going. Is it okay to just be silent every now and then? I feel like this would be the best solution but at the same time I don't want her to think I've run out of topics. I'd appreciate any advice you guys could give me. Thanks!