Approach anxiety is not a personality flaw. It is an avoidance habit, and habits unwind on a predictable schedule. Here is the 30-day protocol we recommend to every new Cues user.
Week 1 — Floor the threshold
Goal: one tiny social rep per day. Ask a barista how their shift is going. Compliment a stranger's shoes. The point is to break the freeze response, not to flirt.
Week 2 — Add intent
Two reps per day, at least one with someone you find attractive. No outcome goal. The win condition is "you opened your mouth."
Week 3 — Stretch the conversation
Three reps per day. At least one must last over 60 seconds. This is where most people stall — push through with a stock follow-up question.
Week 4 — Ask for something
Three reps, one of which involves asking for a number, an Instagram, or a coffee. Rejection is the goal, not avoidance.
Why this works
Graded exposure plus daily accountability is the same protocol used in clinical CBT for social anxiety. Cues automates the accountability and the punishment for skipping.