10 conversation starters which open up for more conversations about how we feel

Small talk is an important part of human interaction, but small talk can also enable us to keep talking on an easy level even if life deep down feels heavy. It can also contribute to removing the stigma of mental health issues where many may experience that their emotions become a burden if lifted during a conversation.

Many people in our society suffer from loneliness, especially now during the pandemic. More and more people express that they feel mentally ill/psychologically affected – both because life is limited and because of concerns for one’s own health as well as that of one’s relatives.

We all need to help and show compassion to each other in whatever ways we can. That’s why it’s important to spread awareness about the power of interpersonal conversation and to help people talk about how they feel.

With the initiative Open Up, Mind Sweden wants to encourage more people to dare to take the small talk to the next level and to make us talk more about how we feel. We call it Open Up because the questions on the cards can inspire conversations which are the opposite of small talk; conversations that can feel important, for real. It doesn’t have to be about difficult problems, it could just open up for conversations about how life really is.