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Hello, fellow introvert!
I've found that one of the key features of introversion is an internal focus. When you're interacting with people and you're uncomfortable, your focus isn't on them or the conversation, it's on you and your thoughts. I attend a lot of meetings with researchers who are 20 years older than I am and at the top of their fields. I used to be painfully uncomfortable - what did I have to say to them? I would sit and monitor the conversation, waiting for some moment when I could chime in with some opinion that would reflect well on me, which hardly ever came. I learned from a friend that the best way to interact with people in this kind of situation is to simply focus on the conversation and ask them questions. People LOVE to talk about themselves and their lives. If you can ask genuine, intelligent questions (or even reasonably thoughtful ones) that get them talking about their opinions and their interests, they will think you are the best conversationalist ever. So stop worrying about how you appear, and start focusing on what they're saying and not on what you want to say next. People can tell when you're in your own head, so to speak, and when you're really listening and focusing on them.
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"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
- Anatole France
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