The ability to make small talk is an essential one for modern life, and can help improve your life in many ways. In addition talking with others often improves general happiness, as well as reducing loneliness.
At work, being able to have conversations with any colleague you happen to get stuck in the kitchen / lift with can drastically improve your career. Being friendly with any superiors will also ensure they feel more positively towards you, a factor which will be impossible to ignore the next time a promotion opens up. Additionally, having friends / acquaintances all around the workplace helps maintain workplace happiness for both you and your colleagues.
Making friends with those in nearby shops is also a good way to build up future opportunities the next time you're job hunting. For example, chatting a little bit to the corner shop owner every day or two ensures that if you ever need a job and there's an opening you're likely to get it. Not to mention the ability to be just short of purchasing something, and having the shopkeeper let you pay them back the next time you're in.
These mini conversations will drastically improve general communication skills, and also provide a constant fodder of small talk material. Any of us who have been in an awkward silence know the advantage of always having something to talk about! Whether it's some sporting event, the latest episode of a TV program, or the weather, being able to talk about these at length with an almost total stranger is without doubt a vital skill.
Finally, being nice to others isn't entirely a selfish activity. Having all of these acquaintances, or even friends, ensures that if you ever need a favour you'll probably be able to find someone happy to help! For example, next time you need help moving house the moving van companies won't be getting your business.
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