"A few years ago, I thought I was a great conversationalist. I could talk about anything, share my opinions freely, and always had something interesting to say. Then someone I was dating told me point-blank that I was "exhausting" to talk to. Ouch, right? That feedback sent me down a rabbit hole of research into social dynamics. What I discovered was pretty humbling: many of the things I thought made me an engaging conversationalist were actually conversation killers."
"Mark Travers, Ph.D., notes that we should avoid oversharing personal information too early in a relationship to prevent discomfort and misunderstandings. This applies beyond dating. When you dump complex interpersonal drama involving strangers onto someone, you're essentially asking them to care about people they've never met and situations they have no context for. Save the intricate family drama for your therapist or your best friend who actually knows the cast of characters. With everyone else, keep it simple or skip it entirely."
"2. Your detailed medical history or current health issues We all know that person who can turn any conversation into a medical consultation. "How are you?" becomes a 15-minute monologue about their back pain, their weird rash, or their digestive issues. Here's what I've noticed: sharing every ache and pain doesn't create connection; it creates discomfort. Unless someone specifically asks about your health or you're talki"
Perceived conversational strengths like constant talking and freely sharing opinions can be experienced as exhausting by listeners. Oversharing complex interpersonal drama involving strangers forces others to care about people they do not know and creates discomfort and misunderstanding. Detailed medical histories and long monologues about aches and pains similarly alienate conversation partners. Keeping intimate or intricate issues for close friends or professionals preserves social comfort. Awareness of oversharing patterns and setting boundaries improves reciprocity, respect, and the overall quality of interpersonal connection.
Read at Silicon Canals
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