Human beings are a social species. Connection is crucial to happiness, staving off depression, and keeping healthy—literally. Various studies have shown that the effects of loneliness are akin to eating a poorer diet and exercising less, and can ultimately lead to the same place—an early death.
It might sound a little melodramatic, but companionship is literally the way our brains have been built to survive and thrive.

But for the purposes of this book’s topic, there’s an even more important wrinkle: the quality of our interactions matters as well, not just the quantity or presence of other people around us. Sounds like even our brains despise small talk.

Continue reading “Ugh! Small Talk…”