Human beings are inherently communicative creatures, which means that when a person is really bad at starting and maintaining conversations, especially with someone new, it can make it that much more difficult to build long-term and healthy relationships.
In fact, being able to communicate properly is a skill that everyone should try and learn at some point in their lives. Not only will it help with making new friends, but it can also be a great aid when trying to form romantic relationships while out on dates. Here we will look at some simple methods of being able to maintain a conversation.
Effective Listening Skills
One of the reasons that a person might battle to make real conversation is due to the inability to really listen and take in what their conversation partner is saying.
A lot of people are too focussed on what they are going to say and why their opinion is more important, where the reality of the situation is that both people have equal say in the conversation, and both opinions are equally valid. It’s important to take the time to learn how to listen to what the other person is saying, to really absorb their side of the conversation and to give back in a meaningful and constructive way that keeps the conversation going organically.
Don’t Obsess Over a Single Topic
It’s easy to become carried away with talking about a single talking-point, especially if it’s a point that the talker is quite passionate about. But this can also end a conversation prematurely and make things awkward. It’s a much better idea to try and cover a range of topics where possible, and to avoid focussing on a single subject and letting it become the only thing that’s talked about during the conversation. There are a lot of interesting topics to talk about in the world, from science to recent news events to art and music to pokies terminology; there’s never really a reason to get too obsessed with just one point of talking.
Be Mindful of What’s Being Said
A lot of people use insensitive jokes to carry a conversation forward, but sometimes these jokes or other subjects can cause the other person to become offended. It might be normal to talk about something at home with friends and family that share the same viewpoint, but this isn’t something that can always transfer easily to light conversation in other settings. Rather try and avoid making any kind of insensitive jokes wherever possible, and instead focus on more constructive and positive points.
Be Honest and Open
Trying to force a conversation by talking about things that don’t really interest a person is easy to pick up and can easily cause the conversation to come to a halt. It’s always better to try and be honest and open throughout, while also making sure that none of the talking points are offensive or outright rude. Like most things in life, good conversation flows when there’s a balance between honesty and filtering certain thoughts and feelings.