Summer is in swing, and boy is it social! Our calendars are filling up fast with pool parties, backyard barbeques, weddings, and weekend brunches. That means lots of new interactions with new folks. This is a great season to meet new people and develop new friendships and acquaintances. Try these easy tips to engage someone new in conversation.

1. When you arrive to the party or gathering, make sure to first greet the host and any other people you may know. This will help you feel more comfortable and make it easier to strike up conversations with others.

2. Be approachable. Smile, make eye contact, and have an open, confident body language. This will make you more approachable and inviting to others. 

3. Ask open-ended questions. People love to talk about themselves, so ask questions to get to know them better. We are more alike than we are different, so find commonalities to keep the conversation going.

4. “Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will,” is a quote from the late Irish novelist and poet, James Stephens. It certainly applies here! Find something you’d like to learn from the one standing across from you, and the small talk will flourish.

5. The best conversations come with a balance of talking and listening. Treat small talk like a collaborative activity and try to keep that balance together.

***BIO FOR END OF ARTICLE*** 

Tara Darby Rasheta is a Lakewood resident. She is the Director of Development and a Certified Instructor for JDW Social Education Programs and acts as the local Chairwoman for the East Dallas Cotillion. She serves as Managing Director for the charity she founded in 2018, A Model Patient 501c3, where she delivers care packages to breast cancer patients around the country.