How do I force my self to approach her?

I’m 20, and for almost a year now, I’ve had a crush on this girl at work, but no matter how much I try, I just can’t seem to approach her. About three weeks ago, I found out that she actually had a crush on me before I even liked her—around two months before my own feelings started to grow.

Looking back, I think I already suspected it, because she would often glance at me, stare when she thought I wasn’t looking, and still goes out of her way to greet me even when I don’t always respond. She makes me so nervous that whenever I walk near her, my whole body freezes up and it feels like I can’t breathe, let alone speak.

For about two months now, I’ve been trying even harder to find the courage to talk to her. I know she likes me, and I definitely like her—I just really want to finally talk to her and get closer. I also found out she’s autistic and eight years older than me, but that doesn’t change how I feel about her at all.

The thing is, I don’t know how to approach her. I thought about asking her boss for help since she already knows about her crush on me, but I’m not sure if that’s the right move. Should I just talk to the girl directly instead? I’ve never done this before—she’s the first girl I’ve ever really liked.