How can I start speaking confidently without worrying about people disagreeing with me? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 23, 2009 - 7 answers

Dating Across a Language Barrier: Can you share success stories and advice about relationships where you and your partner primarily spoke different languages? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 7, 2009 - 13 answers

I've been told I'm a very good conversationalist, but when I talk to people, I often get nervous about silences. This leads to two problems: 1) I compulsively fill in silences with questions or comments, in a way that eventually exhausts me, and 2) if food's available, I tend to impulsively snack and mindlessly eat to have *something* constantly happening (admittedly I often am munching away even when there isn't a silence). Any tips on changing these behaviors?
posted by anonymous on May 22, 2009 - 8 answers

Why am I constantly be dismissed in conversation? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 18, 2009 - 17 answers

My facial expressions don't match my emotions. Sometimes when I think I'm being friendly and warm, I actually look condescending, anxious or just weird. As far as I know I'm neither crazy nor autistic. How can I fix this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 26, 2009 - 21 answers

I’d like to solicit some mental tricks or strategies for keeping my self-consciousness under control in face-to-face conversations. I’ve always been extremely self conscious and never really comfortable with myself physically. I don’t mind my looks - I'm of normal weight, well dressed, no obvious physical defects - but I always feel just wrong in space. Lately, my nervousness has been manifesting itself in physical tics that are getting harder to suppress. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 15, 2009 - 13 answers

Two parter 1) Do I have the correct expectations about conversation and common interests with my significant other? 2) How can I get her to have more, deeper, conversations, debates, etc? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 18, 2008 - 50 answers

I need help understanding how my hyper-smart geek husband's brain works. I want to give him the understanding he craves but am having a hard time inhabiting his plane. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 24, 2008 - 61 answers

Conversation starters needed for married couple's date night. The wife is a bit introverted and needs some prodding to get a conversation started... if it doesn't include career, kids or family. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 11, 2008 - 19 answers

How to deal with relentlessly negative carpoolers? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 17, 2008 - 29 answers

How do I open a dialog with my wife about her weight gain? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 15, 2008 - 65 answers

How to politely converse with a person who has a lazy eye? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 16, 2005 - 19 answers

My spouse and I are ending our marriage, and I would appreciate advice on how and when I should tell people.

We pretty much decided to do this a couple months ago, but I hadn't talked about it with anyone out of hope that we would reconcile. Recent events have made it clear that this isn't going to happen. Now I want to know how long I should wait before I explain what's happening to my child, family, friends, and acquaintances.

Tips on how I should raise the issue are also appreciated. Obviously telling my parents will require a different approach than telling, e.g., my boss. My spouse and I are both fairly introverted, and few of my friends are acquainted, so I can't count on this information spreading itself through any circle of friends. Without forcing anyone to chose sides or evoking pity, I am simply looking to minimize the inevitable awkwardness facing me.

I will definitely seek the help of a therapist, especially for guidance on how best to guide my first-grader (whose emotional well-being is most important to me) through this very difficult thing. However, I'm also interested in the input of anyone who has either been through this situation or know someone who has.
posted by anonymous on Oct 31, 2004 - 14 answers