Here are some practical tips to get the most out of your Awkward Silence subscription.
Unlike click bait, conversation bait is not a trick and it's not disappointing. It is just a good tactic to maximise how interesting you already are.
The first rule of polite conversation is never discuss politics or religion. So when we are making polite dinner conversation, we stick to safe topics that everyone can agree on. “Hot today, isn’t it?” How boring.
Making social talk with your boss is never entirely comfortable. But I used to have it worse than most. The problem I had was that my boss had a giant painting of an undressed woman in her office, right behind her desk.
The problem with small talk is that it is designed to be light, unsurprising and unengaging. It is conversation that is intended to be quick & unenduring. That is OK when you only want a brief exchange with someone, but will only lead to dull moments & uncomfortable silence in a longer conversation. Awkward Silence discusses the pros & cons of small talk. Open a can of worms!
It's the most common conversation starter but rarely starts a conversation or hardly ever gets a genuine answer. What are some alternatives to "how are you"?
You shoudn't be afraid to talk, but that doesn't mean opening your mouth whenever you can. Are you the person in the group with no filter?
R.E.M had a communication breakdown while recording their least acclaimed album Around The Sun. They spoke but didn't interact. How can you stop conversation being light & uninteresting, and make it vibrant & engaging instead?
Some people only want to keep things light. When a heavy conversation topic is on the horizon, they make a joke to escape it. Jokes are used as a conversation defence. Awkward Silence explain why it is OK to go deep.
Conversations are doorways to new thoughts, new decisions & new actions. How meaningful will your questions be? What new ideas will you explore? What inspiring conversations will you have?
Are hypothetical questions pointless? Awkward Silence look at the hidden benefits of asking hypothetical questions.
Early in a relationship, we hang on every word our partner says. As time goes on, we can lose interest in our partner and talk less, using conversation to bicker instead of for building the relationship. Awkward Silence looks at how we use our conversation with the one we love most.
What makes for an engaging conversation? And how can Awkward Silence help you with to do it?
What if the whole world asked the same question at the same time?
It can be awkward knowing where to start when talking to someone you haven't seen for a while. Awkward Silence can help get the conversation flowing again.
Do you talk to yourself? Awkward Silence discuss whether this is healthy.
"I thought I would be an expert on me, but it's surprising how often I learn something new about myself."
Have you ever had a bad connection on the phone? It leads to frustration and miscommunication. The same happens with our face-to-face interactions. Awkward Silence discuss things that cause a bad connection and gives tips for avoiding a bad connection.
Do you ever nod in conversation even when you have no idea what the other person is talking about? We explain why it is good to sound stupid in a conversation.
Meeting someone from another country can make conversation easy. There is so much you can discuss & learn about their culture. But we need to balance that by getting to know them too. It's the difference between an interesting conversation and making a new friend.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of "The Silent Treatment"? Awkward Silence examines why it impacts our relationships, and notes when it can creep in unintentionally.