Awkward Silences!
We've all had 'em, we all hate 'em. And unfortunately, there seems to be no way to get past a really big awkward silence. Whether it's with your 90 year old Grandma or a friend you've known for years but never actually had a conversation with, it doesn't matter how long you sit there trying to think of something interesting to say (and "It's raining" doesn't count, as Cady showed us in Mean Girls) it seems to just get more and more quiet. The depressing thing is how these silences can pop up without you even noticing it - one moment you're chatting and the next that creeping feeling comes over you as you realise you've said everything there is to say!
A particularly horrible place to be gripped by an awkward silence is on the phone - that pause when you don't know whether to hang up or keep talking. Then a silent struggle ensues, when you can't tell if that noise was a 'bye' or a 'yes' or a 'if you hang up that phone you're dead!'.
While there really is no real sure fire way to stop an awkward silence, avoidance is necessary and possible. In my experience, talking about anything to do with the weather only adds to the problem and silent nodding - well, you're just digging your own grave. Ask the other person open-ended questions such as "What did you do on the weekend?", rather than "How was your weekend?", which more often than not is anwered with "good". Not very helpful when trying to start conversation! If the other person continues to keep quiet, then these questions can be used for yourself - talk about anything and everything and just keep talking until you get some conversation flowing! Outline an entire football match you saw, or explain why your dog is the cutest in the world (a competition which, by the way, you've already lost. Mine is so much cuter).
But at the end of the day, sometimes awkward silences are unavoidable, and in these situation, there's only one thing to do - embrace the awkwardness! Relish in the panic that grips you as you search the recesses of your brain for something, anything, while secretly planning your escape!
Good luck!

xx Miss Moi

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