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Step 1
Practice. Converse with everyone you come across: cashiers, waiters, people you're in line with, neighbors, co-workers and kids. Chat with folks unlike yourself, from seniors to teens to tourists.
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Step 2
Read everything: cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, reviews, product inserts, maps, signs and catalogs. Everything is a source of information that can be discussed.
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Step 3
Force yourself to get into small talk situations, like doctors' waiting rooms, cocktail parties and office meetings. Accept invitations, or host your own gathering.
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Step 4
Immerse yourself in culture, both high and low. Television, music, sports, fashion, art and poetry are great sources of chat. If you can't stand Shakespeare, that too is a good topic for talk.
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Step 5
Keep a journal. Write down funny stories you hear, beautiful things you see, quotes, observations, shopping lists and calls you made. That story of the long-distance operator misunderstanding you could become an opening line.
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Step 6
Talk to yourself in the mirror. Make a random list of topics and see what you have to say on the subjects. Baseball, Russia, butter, hip-hop, shoes ...the more varied your list, the better.
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Step 7
Expand your horizons. Go home a new way. Try sushi. Play pinball. Go online. Paint a watercolor. Bake a pie. Try something new every day.
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Step 8
Be a better listener. Did your boss just say she suffers from migraines? Did your doctor just have twins? These are opportunities for making small talk.
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Step 9
Work on confidence, overcoming shyness and any feelings of stage fright. Remember, the more you know, the more you know you can talk about.












Comments
omghow said
on 10/4/2009 Great advice. small talk is not as easy for most people. Thanks for your support.
theindianabroad said
on 8/21/2009 Noce article. You may also be interested in this:
30 Tips on the art of small talk
http://www.theindiansabroad.com/2009/07/30-tips-on-the-art-of-small-talk/
thanks.
acherryscott said
on 8/3/2009 this may also help. How to Understand A Black Woman
http://www.ehow.com/how_5252407_understand-black-woman.html
STUFFellaneous said
on 3/11/2009 Great article! 5*s!
sherryeam said
on 2/28/2009 I work on this all the time so this is a good article for me. I used to feel so uncomfortable in situations that called for small talk. Now I feel pretty good about it. Always nice to get more ideas.