Avoid awkward silences with these all new Conversation Topics!
Avoid awkward silences with these all new Conversation Topics!A HUGE fear stopping people from starting conversations is the fear of running out of things to say.
I’ve given suggestions before of how to keep a conversation going, but it feels good to have something to fall back on when your social mojo goes flat.
That’s what these Conversation Topics posts are made for! Read on…
In this week’s topics: American phrases the UK hates, revenge of a jilted car buyer, and IS THAT A HUGE HOLE UNDER YOUR BED?
Avoid awkward silences by having something to talk about!
Crazy concept I know…so here are some recent news (and not-so-news) stories I’ve hand-picked as a resource for you. I’ve picked them because they’re the type of topics most people could either get a laugh from or have an opinion on.
Remember, that’s the point. You want to get them talking so you can use their responses to move the conversation forward. Some good things to say after you recount the story could be, “what do you think about that?,” or “have you ever experienced something like that, before?”
How do you bring these up? Just say something like, “Oh did you hear about…” Or, “Oh, guess what I read the other day?” Your enthusiasm will cause them to be curious and want to hear more.
Below, you’ll find the story headline/link and a brief description of ways you might use it in a conversation.
This Week’s Topics
Americanisms: 50 of the UK’s most noted examples
Wooo! Talk about bringing up some opinions. I brought this one up with a friend and we got pretty passionate about it. We ended up talking about the differences and similarities in culture between the States and the Motherland. I have to say that while I think most of the phrases on this list are harmless or perfectly ok (of course, I’m an American), I did agree that some make no sense. I mean come on, “ridiculosity?” What’s that all about?
Sour ‘lemon’ driver returns to dealer; ‘I didn’t hit a car under $20K’
Justice! That’s what some people might say after hearing this story. Stupidity might be another reaction. In any case, I think this guy did what most people would want to do if they got jilted like he did. This can lead to talks of previous lemons you or your conversational partner have had.
That sinking feeling: Woman finds giant sinkhole under her bed
Now this’ll grab someone’s attention! It’s a shocking but harmless story that is perfect for conversational lulls. I can imagine this leading to stories of being scared of the dark and strange noises under your bed when you were young. From there, it could possibly lead to current fears, a very deep topic but a good way to get to know each other.
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So remember to keep these in mind this weekend or all next week to use in any conversational lulls you might encounter. After all, one of the secret conversation skills of the “naturals” is to have “stock” material to fall back on.
If you find these topics useful, I would just love you so much if you’d please hit the Facebook “Like” button below!
