A quote from that I keep close to my heart: "Courage is not the absence of failure, courage is acting in spite of fear." (Carly Fiorina)
In your case, if I were you, after I get off my ass to a networking event, I'd be thinking, "hell, I didn't get off my ass just to come here and be in wallflower mode. For better or worse, I don't care if I look stupid, I don't care if I'm afraid, I'm going to go talk to somebody."
In your case, if I were you, after I get off my ass to a networking event, I'd be thinking, "hell, I didn't get off my ass just to come here and be in wallflower mode. For better or worse, I don't care if I look stupid, I don't care if I'm afraid, I'm going to go talk to somebody."