We are always improvising when we have a conversation, which is why we can freeze-up & panic when we see the conversation turning into a slow-motion car crash.
It’s easy to be anxious if your mind goes blank when you can’t think of something to talk about.
But the truth is that a few seconds of silence is not a disaster. If you keep your head, it’s not even a cause for concern.
It might even be considered an opportunity.
Some topics don’t have legs. Others come to a natural end. Perhaps they never even got started.
This is an opportunity to take the conversation in an interesting direction. Now is the time to ask one of your favorite Awkward Silence conversation starters.
Sometimes when asked a question, especially one we hadn’t considered before, we can’t immediately think of a response. This is OK. Take your time, don’t panic. Contemplate a response rather than giving an empty reply.
Giving a thoughtful response is more likely to result in an interesting exchange, one that will propel the conversation forward. Meaning less conversation panics.
And this can take as little as 5-10 seconds. To a passive observer, this is nothing to worry about.
Relax. Don’t panic. There is always something to talk about.
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