Better Conversations Week

For some folks, it seems like every year of getting together for the holidays is the same. Family members are gathered around the television to watch the parade or football game, others are in the kitchen peeling potatoes and baking pies.

But what happens relationally between these family members and friends?

Maybe everyone tries to stick to talking about the weather or school grades because any deeper conversations might end in a screaming match over politics or religion! But what if there was a way to foster deeper conversations that might bring about closer connections?

Well, that’s what Better Conversations Week is all about!

History of Better Conversations Week

First celebrated in 2022, Better Conversations Week was founded through the efforts of Loren Ekroth of Conversation Matters to improve the quality of family discussions and interactions that take place over the holiday season.

Taking place during the week surrounding Thanksgiving, this event is centered around the idea of building better skills that will make for better, more satisfying conversations and deeper connections.

Better Conversations Week is an exciting time that offers seven full days of opportunities to connect with other humans whether at a family gathering, a work party, a friend-giving ,or some other social event.

How to Celebrate Better Conversations Week

Show some love and appreciation for building closer relationships and celebrate Better Conversations Week within the local community. Take a look at some of these ideas for participating:

Plan Ahead for Better Conversations

Instead of just showing up at various family activities or events with friends and then wondering why everything is so shallow and unsatisfying, Better Conversations Week encourages everyone to be more proactive in the way they approach social situations!

Plan with topics of conversation, thought-provoking questions, and other ideas that will help to foster deeper connections in the room and beyond.

Become a Better Listener

One of the most important things about holding better conversations is building up the skill of listening. And just like any skill, listening takes practice!

Be polite, ask engaging questions, engage with body language, and become a part of the story to appreciate the person who is telling it.

Ask Open Ended Questions

Conversations die with closed-ended questions that can be responded to with “yes” or “no” answers! For instance, “Did you have a nice day at school” can be answered with a yes or no and the conversation stops there. Instead, aim for open-ended questions like, “What did you enjoy about school today?”

Keep the flow going by engaging with better questions, listening to the answers, and asking more questions to get the person involved more deeply.

Other events celebrated by Days of the Year with a similar theme include the National Week of Conversation in April, New Conversations Day on July 12, and Talk to Us Day, which takes place on July 24.