People should push themselves out of their comfort zone to have small talk with strangers, a communications expert has said.
It comes as research from the UK shows that over one-third of people wouldn’t know how to strike up a conversation with someone they don’t know.
The poll, which surveyed 2,000 adults, finds 45% of respondents wouldn't know what to say to someone they didn't know - with 42% simply lacking confidence.
Communications expert and Sunday Independent Columnist Gina London told Lunchtime Live people are often too self-conscious.
"I think we are much more self-conscious than we are others-conscious," she said.
"That doesn't mean we all have to become gregarious extraverts but getting out of ourselves and thinking about others, cultivating that curiosity, is the first way to feel more courageous.
"It really only has to be as simple as, 'Oh good morning' and take it from there.
"I think most people overthink it and they miss an opportunity to make a connection.
"While we're busying being self-conscious other people are self-conscious too - nobody's making that first move - and as a result, we're missing a lot of opportunities to make connections".
'Walking around with AirPods'
Ms London said baby steps are the best way to approach the topic.
"Needless to say, with the increasing number of people walking around with AirPods in their ears, it's reducing our opportunities to even say a passing hello to someone, let alone start up a conversation," she said.
"The short way to start this is [to ask yourself] do you know the name of the cashier at your local grocery store? Do you know who your post office person is? Do you know your postman or postwoman?
"Starting to be able to reach out and get to know the people you come in contact with frequently is going to help you start to cultivate the muscle memory around saying hello to someone on the DART."
'Make that first move'
Ms London said people need stretch their communication muscles.
"I'm not talking about suddenly telling someone you've never met before a story - because that is weird - but learning how to become more curious and be more open while still being situationally aware," she said.
"That's a really important beginning to start to stretch those muscles.
"In my work, I can tell you [that] people are hungry for someone else to make that first move".
'What to say next?'
Screenwriter and columnist Stefanie Preissner told the show she considers 'small talk' and the art of conversation as separate issues.
"I can have so many transformative conversations that I absolutely love about things that I'm interested in - but it seems to me that small talk is just like making statements," she said.
"You just walk into a hair salon or a taxi and you make a statement [like], 'God it's really cold today, is it busy?'
"I cannot relate to the impulse so I don't know what to say next."
Ms Preissner said her autism will often influence how she responds.
"It seems [that for] the general population the small talk leads to a connection and if the connection works [the conversation expands]," she said.
"For me - and for quite a lot of neurodiverse people - the content is the conversation, the content is the connection.
"I can't connect with you if I'm talking about something I don't care about".
'Space filler'
Ms Preissner said that while Irish people are great at chatting, we rarely talk about important issues.
"We love to chat but we're useless at [talking about important topics] - look at our mental health, looking at out loneliness rating.
"We're really good at talking about the weather but that's not a conversation.
"That is space filler; that is because probably we're deeply uncomfortable with silence".
'You have to get out there'
Emer in Galway said people should find common interests and get to know each other that way.
"You have to get out there and you have to get into things that are regular," she said.
"I do work in the community and part of that is, I don't want to be lonely; I need to get out and talk to people.
"I'm in a choir so we meet every Monday... the first time you go it's kind of hard because you're in a group where everyone else knows each other.
"Then you show up again and again and then you're chatting too."
'Worst thing is to be lonely'
Emer said people can make connections by familiarity.
"You might get somebody [who] comes along and now they're in a group and involved in the community," she said.
"Then you see people are helping you and you get to know them - and before you know it you're walking around smiling at people because you know them because they're in the choir or your art class.
"You have to make an effort because while it's very difficult, the worst thing in the world is to be lonely".
Emer added that people "sometimes have to be a bit brave".
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