In Need of Advice: My anxiety ridden brain and a crush I can't contain (Part 1)

Emotions remain a problematic one, especially for me.

Especially when it comes to love and crushes.

You might be falling in love or might be falling out of love. Regardless, there will be someone in your life you love.

But how do you curb the anxiety that comes about when talking to someone you like?

Many times around friends, even ones I've known most of my life, until numerous hours have passed with them I'm typically a shy, awkward and anxiety ridden person.

I am head-over-heels for a guy I see working in town nearly every week. For roughly 3-4 years I've seen him around, but had only really started plucking up the courage to talk to last year.

This good-looking man is one of the kindest guys I have started becoming acquainted with (and yes, those pesky butterflies are always fluttering when I see him). He's friendly and not just because his job requires it, he genuinely is interested and wants to chat. He's strong, intelligent and can light up a room with his smile. The things that get me every time I see him, is his voice and his eyes. I repeatedly hear his voice before I see him, and then when I do see him, his eyes lock on to mine and we both can't help but smile. Oh and we both possess a dreadful sense of humor.

Now that's all well and good, a bit sappy even. But after a year of actually challenging myself to how much talking I can do with him, you think I would have already gotten to know the main things: age, sexual preference, single/taken, where he's from etc.

But no.

Every time I go to ask anything, my stupid brain will shy away from it all. I want to get to know him and, depending on circumstances, tell him how I feel but it honestly feels like I'm stuck in my own head.

I've tried breathing techniques, music to calm me (which does help slightly), anxiety medication and even preoccupying my brain with other things before talking to him.

But I can't get my mind off default settings 'hi ... how are you?' 'yeah I'm good thanks' and the occasion chatting that he instigates.

It's pathetic.

So I'm putting it out there and asking my readers, what can I do to curb my anxiety and begin to improve this friendship/possible relationship from my end?