Hmm, it's like you can either choose jumping in and spill your gutz or try to gradually learn to open up. Maybe you could try telling your friends you want to learn how to be more open with physical contact and start small. An example might be placing your hand on people's shoulders or greeting your close friends with a hug that might feel slightly awkward but not too awkward to you.

I guess you could see it as going into a cold pool. It feels warmer and fun to play in after a while, but you can either choose to jump in or slowly climb in. Each one feels uncomfortable at first, but you have to pick whether you want to adjust rapidly and shock your system or slowly and taking longer to adjust.