Do you understand on an intellectual (as opposed to instinctive) level which topics are too serious for small talk?
Because if not then start there. If so, then it’s possible to get better by taking your time to reply and think over what you’re about to say so you can back out!
The weather isn’t a topic that will last for long. Maybe you can ask “did you see that crazy rain/wind/hail/whatever” but either the subject is going to change or one of you will segue into “I remember when I was xyz and there was this crazy rain/wind/hail/whatever”.
Conversations are about finding connections and judging what the other person might want to hear. Sometimes there’s no connection though and you’ve just got to bring up something else. Questions are good because they allow the other person to talk :p
Do you understand on an intellectual (as opposed to instinctive) level which topics are too serious for small talk?
Because if not then start there. If so, then it’s possible to get better by taking your time to reply and think over what you’re about to say so you can back out!
The weather isn’t a topic that will last for long. Maybe you can ask “did you see that crazy rain/wind/hail/whatever” but either the subject is going to change or one of you will segue into “I remember when I was xyz and there was this crazy rain/wind/hail/whatever”.
Conversations are about finding connections and judging what the other person might want to hear. Sometimes there’s no connection though and you’ve just got to bring up something else. Questions are good because they allow the other person to talk :p