Leaning Into Awkwardness

Ken Stern, who experiences anxiety at social gatherings, attended a party of mostly strangers as part of his effort to be more socially engaged. Inspired by Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks’s advice to prepare conversation topics, he asked guests when they had last waited in line for something, prompting lively exchanges. Stern says people often underestimate how much others enjoy talking with them and may be more open to connection than they assume.

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