I could have written this word for word. I'm ashamed to admit this but sometimes in the past I've been so anxious, I've had people make calls for me to cancel appointments and stuff like that. That just makes it worse because the person on the other end wonders why a grown adult can't make their own calls.
A lot of times people leave a voicemail and I get up my nerve and call them back. That helps. I wish I had better advice for you but I usually just have to work up the nerve and do it. I know how hard it is. Is does get better the more you do it. Hopefully somebody will have better advice. I empathize.