HOW TO HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS

      The events of the last year and a half have left many feeling disconnected. As we see or meet with friends, family, and coworkers, you may notice yourself having the same kinds of conversations, filled with lots of small talk and little else. A meaningful conversation is a wonderful way to grow connections or redevelop them. Check out 8 simple tips for bringing more meaningful conversations into your life.

Embrace Small Talk
Almost nobody likes small talk, yet it is an important part of any conversation you have. However, it shouldn’t be the start and end of your conversation. Begin with the prerequisite questions like “How are you?” but then dive a bit deeper to open up the conversation into a more interesting and engaging topic.

Listen
It may seem a bit unnecessary to remind yourself to listen when having a conversation, but you may be surprised at how many people forget this step. Instead of planning your next response, listen with open ears to what your conversation partner is saying and be open to wherever the conversation may go.

Offer Help
Sometimes, the point of a conversation is helping a friend, family member, or colleague out with a difficult situation. When this happens, you can reach a more sincere point in the conversation by offering a helping hand. This can take the form of advice, an important contact, or simply a sounding board to listen and sympathize. Offering your help will show your conversation partner that you’re invested in both the conversation and their happiness.

Ask Follow-up Questions
To have meaningful conversations, you must stay engaged. Do so by showing interest in the conversation. Ask open-ended questions that allow for thoughtful responses, which can often lead to a deeper and more meaningful conversation.

Stay Present
In our busy lives, it’s easy to drift off during a conversation, only to be pulled back minutes later with no idea what you’re chatting about. To have a truly meaningful conversation, you must stay present. Keep your phone and other distractions out of eyesight and focus on your partner and what they’re saying, as well as their body language, to keep the conversation flowing.

As you work on reestablishing connections and growing new ones, look to the conversations you’re having as a way to start. There’s nothing wrong with beginning conversations with small talk but make an effort to advance them into deeper waters, where you can then participate in a more sincere and meaningful conversation.

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