May 16, 2018
Ever have trouble figuring out what to talk about in conversation? Sometimes even having conversations with loved ones can be challenging to keep interesting.
I was thinking about this when preparing to meet socially with a friend – someone I see off and on but not every day. What do you have to say after “hi, how are you?”
Maybe you have kids or grand kids visiting and it’s been awhile since you had a heart-to-heart conversation. I found a great article titled “6 Tips to Rule the Art of Conversation” on the website success.com which talks about how to handle this. For the full article click HERE.
In other words, turn conversations with family, friend or someone you just met into interesting conversations. Here are some ideas for conversation starters:
- Lead with a compliment: Be specific, concise and sincere.
- Embrace small talk – this often leads to deeper conversations.
- Ask lots of questions. Seek out “tell me more” opportunities.
- Be nice and friendly. Be attentive, avoid letting your eyes wander, maintain good eye contact.
- Let the other person do the talking. Don’t dominate the conversation – try to keep the focus on the
other party. When conversation lags, then jump in with your stories and anecdotes.
Living in Stillwaters provides residents with lots of opportunities for good conversation! Saturday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m., meet here at the Gathering Place for good coffee (or tea) and great conversation.
Potluck night and movie night each month provide another opportunity to gather and chat. Come join the conversation and practice your new found skills.
Quote of the Week:
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. -Norman Vincent Peale
