Do not panic! It can be interesting. It doesn’t have to be difficult to think of interesting conversation starters. Think about this: what makes a topic interesting? Don’t people like to talk about it and have opinions about it?

Once you figure that out, you’ll see that interesting talking points come from everyday life and things we all have in common. Then you will realize that it is not that difficult to think about them.

Don’t think you have to be controversial and go for risky topics like politics and religion; You do not. In fact, it would be a mistake to do so.

Whatever topic you choose should make people relax and happy to talk; controversial topics don’t do that. Instead, think about what all people share: families, hopes, dreams, experiences, etc.

Here are some interesting conversation starters to get you started:

1. Who is the most interesting person you have ever met? You can see how this would easily lead people to express opinions and ask “why?”

2. What place in the world would you like to visit the most? This dream location can be shared by others and thus makes people feel supportive, but also, people will be eager to ask “why?” and keep the conversation flowing.

3. What has been the most life-changing experience you have had? Here, people can share funny and heartwarming stories if they wish, which will help you understand them more deeply. Likewise, if people don’t feel relaxed enough to give an honest answer, they can respond in a fun way and it all adds to the conversation.

4. What is the most spontaneous thing you have done in your life? That opens the door to all kinds of fun and romantic stories.

5. Who has had the greatest influence in your life? Because this person has influenced the person you ask, you need to view them in a positive light and have strong ideas about them. That means they are likely to enjoy talking about them.

6. What thing that you haven’t done yet would you like to do more? This kind of inspirational question always gets people talking, and everyone is usually happy to join in with comments about people’s hopes and wishes. Just be careful commenting that it doesn’t rain on your parade. They have the right to have the hopes they want.

7. What is the best quality that you have inherited from one of your parents? This is particularly interesting at a family reunion when people know the parents you are talking about. It is also a bonding experience, to speak favorably of your parents.

8. From which person have you learned the most in your life? This is another positive and uplifting conversation piece that usually gets people talking.

9. With which historical person do you identify the most? This lets you know something about the other people around you; It also opens the discussion of the events in which these historical figures were involved. Yes, it potentially takes you into dangerous waters of politics and religion, but people generally take this question in the spirit of fun that it refers to, so potentially awkward moments are easily noticed.

10. What kind of music do you like? Then you could go on to talk about the CDs you’ve bought or the concerts you’ve been to as well. You might even ask, ‘what’s the most embarrassing album in your collection?’ That is usually met with complete hilarity!

These ideas should show you that interesting conversation topics don’t need to be complex or intellectual; in fact, the more ordinary the better, because then people feel qualified to speak on the subject.