Conversation Starters

Conversation Starters

For shy people, it's difficult meeting people for the first time. They become tongue-tied and can't think of anything to say.

"They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace!Christopher Robin went down with Alice!Alice is marrying one of the guard,A soldier's life is terribly hard,Says Alice!"(many thanks to AA Milne!)
Author: AA Milne

Crippling shyness can even lead to avoiding social gatherings. We all have to leave the comfort zone of our own surroundings some time and we need conversation starters to break the ice.

Welcoming new neighbors seems to be a forgotten art these days but it shouldn't be that hard to do. After all, we have the neighborhood in common already and we can comment on the amenities or make offers of help. Conversing doesn't have to be Shakespeare, just show a genuine interest in the other person.

Parties can be daunting affairs and most of us need a drink or two before we feel at ease. At least there should be some connection to the host to get the ball rolling.

"They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace!Christopher Robin went down with Alice!Alice is marrying one of the guard,A soldier's life is terribly hard,Says Alice!"(many thanks to AA Milne!)
Author: AA Milne

Conversation starters in the US tend to be questions about where a person is from whereas British people first ask what someone does for a living. This could be an old throwback to colonial times when people would want to determine the class status of the other person.

Chat up lines are fraught with difficulty. No one wants to come out with a clichut they are sometimes hard to avoid. Paying lady compliments is the best tradition in conversation starters to uphold! It's best not to be overly familiar however. Don't tell risquokes either if you're meeting someone for the first time and you don't know what their sense of humor is.

Meeting work colleagues in unfamiliar social situations can be challenging if you only have work in common. Ask about their hobbies and families. People love to talk about themselves! Then you can reciprocate in kind but without cornering them for an hour with a detailed life story. You have to carefully edit yourself. Try to avoid coming across as a show off. Don't begin each conversation with, when I was in Paris / Rome / Tokyo...Recommending a good movie is a good way of starting a conversation but don't give the entire plot away.

Confidence comes with practice and remember that other people may be as nervous as you. Conversation starters need not be of earth shattering significance. Small talk is an art and thinking yourself above it isn't going to help. Relax and think of a long march beginning with the first steps.

Learn to listen. Opportunity could be knocking at your door very softly.
Author: Frank Tyger