#Conversation starters

[glowettee]

✧・゜ how to radiate confidence in social situations (even when you're screaming inside) ゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovelies! ✧

let's be honest - we've all been there. standing in a room full of people, smile plastered on, while our internal monologue is having a complete meltdown. that was literally me last weekend at this networking event where i knew absolutely no one and spent the first 15 minutes hiding in the bathroom (classic me behavior).

but over time i've collected some little tricks that help me appear confident even when my insides are doing gymnastics. thought i'd share in case any of you are fellow social anxiety girlies too!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the body language hack ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

our bodies can actually trick our minds into feeling confident. before entering any intimidating social situation, i find a private spot (usually the bathroom, let's be real) and stand in a "power pose" for two minutes. arms on hips, shoulders back, chin up. it feels silly but it genuinely changes my nervous system.

another tiny thing: keep your hands visible, not crossed or hidden in pockets. something about this signals confidence to others and eventually to yourself.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ prepare your conversation toolkit ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

nothing makes me panic more than awkward silence, so i always have a mental list of conversation starters ready. not just "what do you do?" but questions that actually lead somewhere interesting:

"what's been keeping you busy outside of work lately?"

"have you read/watched anything good recently?"

"what's something you're looking forward to this year?"

the secret is asking questions that you genuinely want to hear answers to. people can sense authentic curiosity, and it takes pressure off you to be "interesting" when you're focused on being interested.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the "i belong here" mindset shift ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

this one changed everything for me. i used to walk into rooms thinking "i hope they like me" which immediately put me in a position of seeking approval. now i try to shift to "i wonder if i'll like them."

it's such a subtle change but it puts you in the position of the observer rather than the observed. suddenly you're not auditioning for acceptance - you're just seeing if this person/group is your vibe.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ embrace the awkward ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the biggest confidence killer is trying to be perfect. there's actually something magnetic about someone who can laugh at themselves when they trip over a word or spill their drink.

i've started just naming the awkwardness when it happens: "well that came out completely wrong, let me try again!" people actually connect more with your humanity than your perfection.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the 5-second reset ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

when i feel myself spiraling into overthinking, i use this tiny reset: i take a deep breath, count to 5, and remind myself that most people are too worried about themselves to be analyzing me.

seriously, the same insecurity that makes you worry about what others think is the exact thing that prevents others from thinking about you as much as you fear!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ aftercare is essential ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

confidence isn't just about how you act in the moment - it's also about how you treat yourself after. i used to dissect every interaction, cringing at everything i said.

now i have a rule: no social autopsies. instead, i celebrate that i showed up at all. sometimes i'll even buy myself a little treat on the way home as a "well done for being brave" gift.

remember, true confidence isn't the absence of fear - it's just the decision that something else is more important than that fear. and with practice, those screaming-inside moments get quieter and less frequent.

what about you? any confidence hacks that help you in social situations?

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[agirlwithglam]

The secret to actually being interesting and fun:

Is to be interestED

Guys fr tho, talk about others. Ask OTHER people questions, react to what they say, get interested!! You may think that they are super interested in what you have to say, but most of the time, they dont actually care if ur someone who talks about yourself a lot.

Normally you can tell when somebody isn’t as interested as you’d like and if you start to see that. Stop talking immediately and ask THEM a question.

Also remember that if you have nothing to say but you want to keep a conversation alive, don’t insult them, don’t desperately compliment them as a way to get them to like you, ask about them. TAKE AN INTEREST IN THEM!! And if you genuinely do like something about them, then do compliment it + ask a follow up question!

(And esp if you find that they start getting excited/ passionate about that subject, encourage them to talk about it more!)

Compliment + follow up questions:

“omg i love ur (hair) curls, what’s ur secret!”

Your neckless is stunning it goes with your vibe so well! Where’d you get it from? (Might be a present, and then you can ask about that person!)

You’re so good at [school subject], how??

Questions examples:

Any plans when you get home?

What did you do over the weekend?

What’s your fav song? / do u like Sabrina carpenter/ Taylor swift? (Then proceed to bond and fangirl over the songs)

How’s your day been so far? (Sometimes asking the most simple questions can make a person feel seen)

What do you want to be when you’re older?

How would you describe your dream partner?

Etc etc etc

Also I found this on Pinterest and its all you need: Pinterest link <3

[womenclature]

The Ultimate List of 100 Questions

Lighthearted and Fun Questions

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

What’s your favorite TV show that you can binge-watch over and over?

If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you go and what would you do?

What’s your guilty pleasure song that always gets you dancing?

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only one item, what would it be?

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor, and do you prefer it in a cone or a cup?

Who’s your celebrity crush, and what would you say if you met them?

What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever tried, and would you eat it again?

If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future, and why?

What’s your favorite way to spend free time on the weekends?

Getting to Know Each Other Better

What’s your favorite book, and how has it impacted you?

What was your dream job when you were a child, and is it still your dream?

What’s your biggest pet peeve, and why does it bother you so much?

Do you have a favorite family member, and what makes your relationship special?

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

What’s your love language, and how do you prefer to receive affection from friends?

What are three things on your bucket list that you want to accomplish?

What’s your favorite season of the year, and what do you love about it?

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

If you could live in any fictional world, which one would you choose and why?

Deep and Thoughtful Questions

What does your perfect day look like from start to finish?

What’s a personal goal you’re currently working towards?

How do you handle stress and maintain your mental health?

What’s the most meaningful conversation you’ve ever had with someone?

What do you think is the most important quality in a friendship?

What’s your biggest fear, and how do you confront it?

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

What’s a significant life lesson you’ve learned recently?

How do you define success, and do you feel successful?

What’s something you’re passionate about that you’d like to share with others?

Fun and Random Questions

If you were a character in a movie, who would you be and why?

What’s the strangest dream you’ve ever had?

If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re feeling down?

Do you have any hidden talents or skills most people don’t know about?

What’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried, and what was it about?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Questions About Life and Experiences

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

How do you handle difficult situations or challenges in life?

What’s a skill you’d love to learn, and what’s holding you back?

What does happiness mean to you?

How do you stay motivated when pursuing your goals?

What’s a cause or issue you’re passionate about and why?

Have you ever had a life-changing experience? What happened?

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?

How do you balance work, personal life, and hobbies?

What role does faith or spirituality play in your life?

Questions About Relationships and Emotions

What’s your love language, and how does it affect your relationships?

How do you express appreciation for your loved ones?

What’s one thing you wish people understood about you?

How do you deal with conflict in relationships?

What’s the most important quality you look for in a friend or partner?

How have your past relationships shaped who you are today?

What makes you feel most supported and cared for?

Do you believe in soulmates? Why or why not?

What’s your biggest relationship deal-breaker?

How do you maintain strong connections with family and friends?

Fun Hypothetical Questions

If you could have any animal as a pet, regardless of practicality, what would you choose?

What’s a superpower you wouldn’t want to have?

If you were a superhero, what would your name and costume look like?

Would you rather be able to speak every language or play every musical instrument?

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d do?

What’s a fictional character you wish you could meet in real life?

If you could live in any era of history, which one would you choose and why?

What’s a food combination that sounds weird but you absolutely love?

If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?

Would you rather explore the depths of the ocean or outer space?

Questions About Favorites and Preferences

What’s your favorite movie of all time, and what makes it so special?

Do you have a favorite podcast, and why do you enjoy it?

What’s your favorite place to relax and unwind?

What’s your favorite thing about your best friend?

Do you prefer reading books or watching movies, and why?

What’s your favorite kind of music or artist?

Do you have a favorite quote or saying that inspires you?

What’s your favorite holiday, and how do you like to celebrate it?

What’s your favorite season, and what do you enjoy doing during that time?

What’s your favorite way to stay active or exercise?

Questions About Personal Growth and Goals

What are your top three personal goals for the next five years?

How do you measure personal success?

What’s a habit you’d like to break or develop?

What motivates you to keep pushing forward during tough times?

How do you approach learning new things?

What’s a career or field you’d like to explore more deeply?

How do you stay focused on your long-term goals?

What does self-care look like for you?

How do you handle criticism or feedback?

What’s a challenge you’ve overcome that you’re proud of?

Thought-Provoking and Deeper Questions

What do you think is the meaning or purpose of life?

How do you define true happiness?

What’s a question you’ve always wanted to ask but never had the chance?

Do you believe everything happens for a reason, or do we create our own fate?

How do you cope with the uncertainties of life?

What impact do you want to have on the world or those around you?

How do you handle feelings of doubt or insecurity?

What’s one thing you think people misunderstand about you?

If you could give one piece of advice to everyone in the world, what would it be?

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

Source Link

[femmefatalevibe]

How do I sound and appear more intelligent and sophisticated? I've read books and stuff but how do I apply the knowledge in real life? How do I make my everyday vocabulary more sophisticated? Ik the general advice to read books and converse with people etc, but how do I actually apply it irl?

Hi love! Here are some of my suggestions/tips:

How do I sound and appear more intelligent and sophisticated?

Keep your language and explanations simple & concise

Speak slowly & deliberately: Take your time between sentences, and pause between your thoughts. Always think before you speak. Silences, while slightly awkward, are not always best avoided

Use the proper propositions when speaking: Avoid small grammar mistakes (know when to use less vs. fewer, I vs. me, graduated from an institution, etc.)

Articulate complex concepts into layman's terms: Break concepts down into different parts of the conceptual equation – chronically, from beginning to end or outcome to origin, simultaneously moving parts/micro-stories or situations; Use analogies (metaphors, mundane/real-life examples, or hypothetical situations) that require the same thought-process or methodology)

Apply conversational "show don't tell" when sharing a story: Describe the situation using the 5 senses to convey the implied meaning (e.g. "I could feel the pit in my stomach." vs. "I was nervous.")

Use subtle tonality to convey particularly emotional or significant points while speaking

I've read books and stuff but how do I apply the knowledge in real life?

Relate cultural references or learned concepts to add clever humor to everyday conversations

Create parallels and analogies to outside information to convey your understanding of what someone is saying, ask more thoughtful follow-up questions, or smoothly transition into a new conversation topic

How do I make my everyday vocabulary more sophisticated?

Use everyday/simple sentence structure and replace one simple word choice with another more sophisticated word that is equally apt to the message you're trying to convey

If you're ever confused about whether a particular synonym makes sense to use IRL, look at how it is used in the dictionary sentence examples and in other books/articles

Ik the general advice to read books and converse with people etc, but how do I actually apply it irl?

Reiterate a concise, simplified version of the other person's anecdotes to convey your understanding. Drive the conversation forward by asking specific follow-up questions based on one "part" of the idea or story

Use cultural parallels to convey your understanding of what the other person is saying (sounds like this TV show character, like a certain artist, historical/current event, etc.)

Leverage metaphors to connect the dots between the points you and your conversation partner are making. Make an insightful connection to break up the air time between their anecdote and contribution

Conversational word choice should be used to create vivid images in people's minds – to paint a picture of the concept, scene, emotions, or sensations one would engage with or experience if the person was living your conversation in the present moment

Learn how to use wit conversations – context and delivery are vital to its success and positive reception

Hope this helps xx

[failingatlifespectacularly]

unhinged icebreakers 2 unnerve ur coworkers/classmates/friends/peers!

★ take turns in a circle, each person silently picks another person in the circle and says the most unhinged sounding complement they can think of as long as it's genuine(ex: "this person smells warm", "I heard this person singing in their sleep once and it was beautiful", etc), the game doesn't work if it doesn't actually apply, everyone else has 2 guess who it was 4

★ ask them "if u died right now what would u want me 2 do with ur body, and what would ur last wish be?"

★ unhinged this or that game, "would u rather die by being burned alive or frozen alive?" "would u rather know how ur going 2 die or when ur going 2 die?"

★ feel free 2 add more!

[nixierain]

What's yall's comfort food?

I like tortillas (I spelled that right, right?) and fruit snacks

[rwi-writes]

🗺️ Worldbuilding questions game 🏔️

Send a topic and get some random bit of worldbuilding!

Magic System

Transportation

Climate & Geography

Deities / Pantheons

Cities

Fauna

Flora

Divine objects

History

Language

Ethics & Values

Politics

Trading / Economics

Science & Technology

Fashion

Industries

Education

Calendar

Crime & Law

Diet

Have fun ^^

[missmaggiemagee]

calling my spuffy cuties!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Buffy’s Hellmouth Collections (@buffyshellmouthcollections)

what do we think about this?

i never thought of the difference between their relationships like this. i am a die hard spuffy fan, and honestly am a bit hurt that even SMG is rooting for angel.

and i’ve always been curious about the “soul” aspect. why was spike able to empathize, but angeles wasn’t? they were both sired similarly. i would say spike’s intro to vamp-hood may have been even more brutal, given that he had not only darla but her two prodigies too. or is it about how they were raised as children? where does nature and nurture fall in the conversation?

also! people with souls can kill too, right? serial killers and all. do they have a similar guilt trips, but not all at once like a vamp?

so many questions. please let me know your thoughts?

[onlycringepost]

im sorry i have ZEROOO knowledge of pop culture. do not talk to me about it. i want nothing to do with it.

im here for the woods, the stars, the sea, the ancient kingdoms

[talianis-is-not-ok]

I started sending random people in my contacts this picture of a rock and it is legit thr best conversation stadter I've ever had. The people yearn for cool rocks

[apocalyptic-periodcramps]

Question for anyone who menstruates

The monthly occurrence has arrived! With this, I always get super lost in thought. This time, I'm thinking about how many people carry shame about their period and talk about it in hushed voices, as if it's a crazy thing. As someone who was raised in this environment, I still don't get it. I've always been incredibly vocal about my period. I'm curious WHY if you have ever thought of it as a taboo thing, or currently do, and are comfortable sharing, why do you think that way? I want to understand the thought process so badly.

BONUS QUESTION: what are your favorite nicknames for it I just found out some people call it "Crimson Wave" and I think that's a pretty way of putting it because I do personally believe there is a beauty in it

[agirlwithglam]

becoming a good conversationalist

Tips and conversation starters!

TIPS TO BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST + BE FUNNY ♡ becoming fun and interesting

lil tips:

a huge part of people wanting to be around you again, is how they emotionally feel when they're around you.

go into a conversation not thinking "i hope they like me" but thinking "i hope i have fun!"

remember that they are just people, just human. they aren't a whole lot different to you! you live, you die; they live, they die. dont be so scared and uptight about talking to someone.

conversation starters:

things that they've never done but they want to do

find out about their interests

find out what they like and dont.

which places do you really want to go to?

what is the best place/ country you've been to?

what are your fears?

ask about food

what foods and drinks do you like?

your favourite restaurant?

favourite chocolate?

recommended youtubers/ videos:

Joshua Otusanya (self improvement + the BEST conversation tips!)

Tam Kaur (mainly talks about self improvement but also has socialising/ becoming an extrovert content)

Xoxo, Vanilla

[doodle-belle-thorn]

It would appear Cupid neglected to mention that Venus is really bad at conversation starters

Like did she want me say "good for you" or to one up her and say I made out with a jester or what????

[femmefatalevibe]

hey there, im wondering how i can get more comfortable going up to random people and striking up a conversation. i have pretty bad social anxiety most times but i know i cant get friends unless i do this. do you have any tips on how to feel more secure on going up to people? also, how do i make the conversation flow? everytime i strike up a conversation i just sound so awkward and i cant think of what to say. how do i remedy this and sound cool or hot while talking to someone instead of weird. tysm!!

Hi love! Some tips below:

Remember that everyone is self-focused most of the time. People don't really think too much about you. They're worried about their to-do lists, internal monologues, and how they're presenting themselves to others. So, chances are, if an attempt to initiate a conversation isn't reciprocated, remember it's because the other person is focused on their own priorities and probably will forget about the awkward interaction by the next day.

Consider how you would show up as a confident person then start faking it until you become it. As with any skill, learning how to socialize requires taking action followed by tons of practice, reflection, adjustments for improvement, and repetitions of this cycle.

Make your conversation low-stakes. Initiate a conversation with a genuine compliment if you're nervous. It's a simple, thoughtful, and generally well-received gesture. If you're too nervous to think of things to say, use simple conversation starters (How's your day? How insane is this weather? I can't believe we have to do XYZ project, or Isn't XYZ news story just wild?).

Paraphrase what the other person is saying to display your active listening skills and attention to your conversation. Ask follow-up questions relevant to what they've already said. This tactic will make the person feel heard/special for the moment and makes it easier for you to continue the conversation without having to think of a handful of topics or stories to contribute on the fly.

To appear more calm and collected, take your time and speak slowly. Allow for small pauses, and don't rush through your words. Smile, and maintain direct eye contact. Don't be afraid to laugh when contextually appropriate. Keep your speech even-pitched (don't end every sentence on a high, nervous note where the ending sounds like it's a question). Maintain open body language and tilt your head to show you're actively listening instead of fidgeting.

Hope this helps xx

[agmagazinescans]

AG's Heartwarmers

American Girl Magazine, November/December 2009

[Ko-Fi Donations]