How do I make friends as an introvert (is introversion bad)?

I get very anxious around people and worry what they think about my southern accent, even though i live in the south currently people still make fun of me all the time so it makes me afraid to speak...and I'm a grown man but still have this fear for some reason. I do like to stay to myself a lot of times but wish i had 1 or 2 friends to rely on for company and emotional support. I live alone with my cat and sometimes i will spend most of a weekend running errands just to get out amongst people(honestly a lot of times i want to stay home and recharge but then i would never meet anyone). How can I change all this?

EDIT: I am a 43 year old guy. Interests/hobbies include video gaming (not much these days), reading (not a big reader but trying to change that desperately...kinda afraid to go to a book club), writing, figuring out a skill i can learn to change careers, wanting to learn a new language--preferably Spanish. Also very into sports. used to play pickup basketball