You have to admit that many of us have lost the art of conversation. It’s easy to point to our phones and social media as the main culprits. The effects of COVID didn’t help either. Even the growing acceptance of introversion plays a role.
But becoming a better conversationalist is a skill that could benefit many of us. It requires curiosity, genuine interest and a willingness to connect — qualities that not only strengthen your social skills but also lead to more meaningful interactions.
Recently, I attended a cooking class, and my station was next to a woman who was far more adept at cutting and slicing and dicing than I was. I wanted to engage with her — for a moment I thought about asking how she became so good at her knife skills, and then thought better of it. Ultimately, I didn’t end up talking to her. I told myself all sorts of excuses — she was busy, she didn’t want to be interrupted — but really, it was because I got in my head about how to start small talk. Basically, I didn’t want to sound like an idiot.
English (US)