Pronunciation hurdles: How did you overcome the early stumbles?

When I first started learning, I walked into a local shop and completely mangled a basic word. I felt so embarrassed, but the clerk was so kind! It made me realize how much we rely on context. For those further along, what were the specific sounds that tripped you up the most as a beginner? I would love to hear your stories or any tips you have for connecting sounds to real-life situations to make them stick!