I’m in my 40s and still no good at it. If it wasn’t for alcohol I’d of never made friends or got married as I simply can’t do small talk and just stand their awkwardly.
I gave up alcohol about 5 years ago, now I just avoid social occasions if I can. I miss family events and functions over it. I’ve a family funeral coming up soon and I can’t miss it but I’m dreading it. After the Hi how are you, my mind just blanks out I get so anxious.
Any pointers on where I start fixing this problem?
3 comments
Honestly I can find small talk really exhausting, much more so than a conversation. But it’s something we gotta do in our society. When you asked how someone are and what they’ve been up, try to continue the conversation on the same path and direct it somewhere else to get more to talk about.
If you want to practice, try to have a short conversation with a cashier or something – then you can easily see what works and not. While you easily can say that you have to head out because your in a hurry, no need to stay in awkward silence!
Yeah, I am not any good at small talk either, but I think about a few topics that you can talk (usually) with anyone, like how they are, work, family?, tv shows… Idk.
I feel like it’s doing the dishes, at first is awful but you get used to it, it never becomes great but it lets you access to better things, like clean dishes.
Yeah, weird analogy haha
I hope it goes well!!
You just keep asking questions. Answer questions in short form, be interesting if possible, and then finish with a question.
Keep at it until you’re better at it.