Talking to other people can be overwhelming. Your inability to hold conversations could make you feel worse if you’re lonely.

For some, letting people into their personal space is a difficult task. For others, it comes with ease.

There are a few things you can do to help conversations flow with ease and help you become more comfortable in the long run.

How to Start a Conversation

Starting a conversation can be difficult. It doesn’t necessarily have to be with a stranger. It can be difficult to start a conversation with someone you are familiar with. It’s easy to let your mind trick you into thinking your conversation isn’t worthy or wanted.

Luckily, starting a conversation doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some tips that you can try:

Be positive.

Don’t spend too much time thinking about what to say or how to say it. Thoughts like this can drive you downhill. Go into a conversation with positivity and watch how easily things flow.

Keep it simple.

Not every conversation has to be deep and intellectual, especially when people have been working all day and just want to relax their minds afterward.

Simple conversations are necessary to generate deeper conversations in the future.

Give compliments.

Complimenting someone can open them up to speaking with you. It may be difficult for someone to completely shut off a conversation after they receive a nice compliment.

Tell the person you like their outfit, hair, or even how they handled something. Any compliment you can think of is worth giving.

Ask for an opinion.

Asking for an opinion on something is a great way to spark conversation. When the other person gives their opinion, it gives you a chance to build off of that and extend the conversation.

Asking for an opinion also shows the person that you are interested in what they have to say. This motivates people to continue conversing with you.

How to Get Better at Talking to People

Many people have conversational anxiety, making it hard to speak to other people or thrive in social settings.

Thinking of the right words to say can be overwhelming in the heat of conversation. It’s important to understand that it’s not always about what you say, but what you do.

Be an active listener.

People who listen to others tend to be good with conversations and knowing what to say.

If you struggle with starting conversations it may be easier for you to play the role of the responder. This way, you don’t have to think of every subject the conversation will have. It eases the burden and the conversation will continue naturally.

Use and read body language.

Nonverbal cues like nodding your head and eye contact are important during a conversation. These gestures let people know you are engaged and interested in the conversation. This will encourage them to continue talking to you.

Reading body language will help you understand the limits to which the conversation can go. You can read the body language of the other person and tell if they are comfortable with the subject.

Know when to end the conversation.

Never put the person you’re talking to in an uncomfortable situation or allow the conversation to end awkwardly. Awkward endings could ruin the chances for another conversation.

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