Pauses in Conversations

depends on the circumstances. my favorite though, is to use it as an opportunity to get the hell outta there :-)

Pauses in conversation
What do I do when there is a pause in the conversation?

I momentarily regroup by nodding my head, smiling at the same time, and then asking a question to get the conversation rolling again. [I'm an attentive listener, so head nodding is natural and unavoidable.]

I never let a pause go very long. I try not to look away for the specific purpose of avoiding eye contact--that makes me look uncomfortable and makes a pause even more uncomfortable. I might take a sip of coffee, look in my purse for a tissue, or look around the room and comment on something in the room. Your surroundings will usually give you several topics of conversation if you're observant.

I generally spend time with people I'm comfortable with--close friends and family--and we know each other so well that a pause in the conversation is nothing to fret over.

You people would make really lousy Navajos. If they don't have anything to say, they don't say a thing.

I usually break the pause by saying, "my underwear is too tight". Then I jump up, flap my arms and down and make howling noises. Unless I'm with my girlfriend whereas I use it as an opportunity to fall asleep.

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