How to have a conversation with a friend about a problem?

Another guideline for having a conversation about a problem is to avoid accusations such as, “You always do all the talking”, or “You never listen to me”. Always and never are bad ways to describe something, and it’s more likely to make your friend defensive.

How do you talk to someone who doesn’t ask you questions?

This principle is great if you are talking with someone who doesn’t ask you any questions. The sharing principle goes like this: Share as much about yourself as the other person shares about themselves. (Do this EVEN IF they don’t ask you about it.)

What is an example of the listener’s trap?

Here is an example of a conversation addressing the “listener’s trap”: “Hey Paul, I wanted to talk to you for a minute. I enjoy hanging out with you, but sometimes I have a hard time getting a chance to talk during our conversations.

What does it mean when someone is trying to problem solve?

And just because someone is trying to problem solve with you, doesn’t mean they’re not listening and they don’t care about your feelings. In fact, it likely means they care deeply about your well-being and want you to be okay. They’re desperately trying to ease your pain.

How to deal with a friend who is monopolizing the conversation?

Tell your friend in a constructive way that you need to talk about you, too Don’t write off a friendship until you have had a conversation with your friend about the problem. Often, people don’t realize that they are monopolizing the conversation. By making them aware of it, you can change the entire dynamics of your friendship.

How do you start a conversation with a new friend?

At the start of the conversation, after the other person told you about their day. Share a bit about your day. (Try to include one small negative thing and finish it off with something positive.) Talk about tricky problems or dilemmas you have where the other person could have an interesting opinion.

How do you ask a friend to talk about their life?

“Hey Paul, I wanted to talk to you for a minute. I enjoy hanging out with you, but sometimes I have a hard time getting a chance to talk during our conversations. I care about you as my friend and enjoy hearing about your life, but I need more space to talk about my life as well.” It can help to acknowledge the positive parts of your friendship.