“I Spoke to Strangers Every Day for a Month—This Is What I Learned”

It started as a dare. Or maybe a breakdown.

I’d gone through a rough breakup, moved to a new city, and realized I could go entire days without speaking to another human face-to-face.

So I gave myself a challenge: Talk to one stranger every day for a month.

Nothing crazy. Just small talk. A compliment. A question. Something.

Week one was awkward. I asked a woman in the elevator what perfume she was wearing (she smiled, but also hit the “close door” button like her life depended on it). I complimented a guy’s hoodie and he looked at me like I was trying to sell him essential oils.

But then things shifted.

Week two, I told a barista I liked her earrings. She told me she made them herself and sold them on Etsy. I bought a pair.

Week three, I sat next to a guy on a park bench who was feeding squirrels and asked, “Why squirrels?”

He told me he used to feed them with his grandpa. He hadn’t thought about him in years. He cried. I cried. Then we laughed.

Week four, I struck up a conversation with a woman at a bookstore. We talked about our favorite novels and exchanged numbers. She’s now one of my closest friends.

I didn’t meet the love of my life. I didn’t suddenly become an extrovert.

But I did remember that humans are wired to connect—and we miss a lot when we’re glued to our phones or afraid to say hello.

So no, I don’t talk to strangers every day anymore.

But I’m no longer afraid to.