It’s Memorial Day Weekend and if you’re like me, parties and BBQ’s abound. We’ll be hitting three this weekend (my husband was excited when he realized we wouldn’t have to cook for 3 days!) and we will, undoubtedly, meet new people. While I love meeting new folks, have you ever noticed how sometimes its just painful to keep a conversation going with some people? The key is to find common ground. Struggle with ways to find it? Here’s an article from the Huffington Post by Gretchin Rubin. It’s called 7 Tips For Making Good Conversation With A Stranger. Gretchen provides great tips and ideas on how to start an engaging conversation you’ll both enjoy as well as ideas on how to handle it when the conversation dies.

Oh, and be sure to check out her article on how to get through situations when you forget someone’s name. I’ll admit, this happens to me more than it should. In my younger days I was in sales and quick with remembering names and associations. I suck now. I’ve been retraining myself to truly be in the moment and block out everything around me to focus on the person I’m shaking hands with. It still takes me a few encounters to burn someone’s name into my brain. While I’ve learned to be honest with the individual when I forget their name, Gretchen provides some ways to help preserve your dignity. It’s worth the 5 minutes it’ll take to read it.

Have a wonderful weekend. Safe travels for those of you on the move. When you can relax,  post your tips and trade secrets on how to be a great conversationalist. I’m listening.