Conversation Skills Are Dead

After getting off the phone earlier today, it dawned on me that the art of conversation is dead, dead, dead. Conversation should be a give and take. I ask about you, yadda, yadda, yadda, then you ask about me, yadda, yadda, yadda. Give and take - makes both of us feel good about ourselves that someone would take the time to ask about what makes us tick.

When I call someone, I'm calling to find out how they are, what they've been doing, planning on doing as a way to let them know I'm interested in their lives.

Apparently, NO ONE is interested in mine! At least today. Not once did the person stop talking about them, their current interests, etc and say "... but what about YOU? How are YOU doing, what have YOU been doing." No, it's just blah, blah, blah, me,me,me. mine, mine,mine. Bor-RING!

I've got news for you - You just aren't THAT interesting! People who constantly talk about themselves and theirs are tacky, selfish and insulting to the other person.

I discovered long ago that if you want people to think YOU are interesting, ASK them questions about THEMSELVES - LISTEN to what they are saying and inquire further about it. They'll feel positively important and will love to be around you because of the way YOU make THEM feel. You don't really have to be interested in what they are doing, just engaged in what your friend is saying because it makes them FEEL good.

Such a little thing, really. with a BIG return - Why can't people see that?