Last year I flew to spain for a week and stayed in a hostel.

I knew no one at the hostel but I came prepared with one fact:
"I am lonely, therefore I know others here are also lonely.
I want to talk to people, therefore I know they do to.
I am afraid so I know they are. "

Approach anxiety disappears when you stop focusing on your fears, but instead focus on the prospective partners wants.

So the entire week instead of trying to get ME something, I tried to give THEM something.

I tried to relieve their loneliness, their boredom, their isolation.

As a result I made something like half a dozen new acquaintances in one week, in a country whose language I barely spoke.

Day one I met a gorgeous german girl who visited tourist spots with me the rest of the week.

At a free flamico show offered at a local hostel we noticed a girl looking at us so we befriended her.

During the flamico show I got bored and went for a walk in the hostel,

I noticed a korean girl sitting by herself, so I said hello in korean (her face was priceless) then went by a walk by the river with her.

I thought she was vibing so i tried the hand trick, (she was not interested unfortunately)

I let her hand go and we talked about her life in Korea no awkwardness at all.

I came home and started using this all over, at the gym, at work, anywhere I saw someone interesting.

The result?

My approach anxiety disappeared once I realized it was just a lie I told myself.

Your expectations are not reality.

Meaning you get to choose what to expect, GOOD or BAD.

Approach anxiety = Negative expectations for the outcome = awkward approach
Approach excitement = Positive expectations for the outcome. = smooth approach

So in a nutshell to beat approach anxiety:
Focus on their needs in this moment, what do you think they want or feel right now?

Focus on positive expectations, negative expectations serve you no purpose.

If you're respectful no one will tell you off.

I've literally never been told off after hundreds of approaches.
Stop cockblocking yourself by rejecting yourself before they do, approach.