Startingaconversationwithastrangercanbedaunting,butitdoesn’thavetobeimpossible.Everyconversationrunsitscoursewithinasimilaroutline:makingfirstcontact,introductions,speakingwitheachother,andthenendingtheconversation-hopefullywithplanstomeetagain.Tonavigatethesesometimesscarybutusuallyrewardingwaters,readon.Firstly,Commentonanitemthatyoubothshareinyourimmediatesurroundings,suchasthelonglineupyou’rebothwaitinginorthewobblychairnexttoyou.Byfocusinganitemyoucanbothexperience,you’reremovinganypotentialawkwardnesswithacannedcomment.Secondly,Sometimesalookisallthat’sneededtobreaktheice.Whenfacedwithapersonyoufindattractive,whynotgivethemagenuine,3secondsmile?Youmaybesurprisedwhentheobjectofyourhappinessstartsaconversationwithyou,instead.Thirdly,youneedsomequickideasthatcanworkinapinch:Currenteventtopicsofinteresttoyou;Thelastmovieyouwatched;Acommentabouttheeventyou’reattending,withafollow-upquestionaskinghowtheyheardaboutit.Inaword,Focusontakingyourownexperiencesandweavingtheminwiththeotherperson’sresponses.Bydoingsoyou’llbeforgingaconnectionwiththeperson,creatinghooksofinformationwithwhichtostartaconversationatalaterdate.Toensurethatyouareactuallyconversing,andnotjustbanteringbackandforthinaquicksuccessionofquestionsandanswers,trytorememberthesekeypoints.
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