Claire Eastham is a publishing innovator, entrepreneur and creative equine. Most recently, she dove into a fascinating experiment – one that broke the rules of social interaction. In May, she resolved to eschew small talk for all 31 days. She was interested in the idea of what could happen in conversations that didn’t start out with traditional niceties.
For years, Eastham had known the importance of relationship-building in her work. Beyond the usual tedium of email and other forms of chat that come with remote work, maintaining relationships with coworkers and clients became a challenge fraught with tension. Over time, she began to re-evaluate the worth of those exchanges. By stripping away the small talk and pleasantries that often dominate conversations, Eastham’s goal was to facilitate more authentic connections and ultimately, more impactful dialogues.
At the end of her test run, Eastham looked back on her time. She observed that avoiding the usual polite preamble led her to have some of the most interesting conversations ever. One of the most impactful conversations happened at a speed networking event when she was paired for ten minutes with a freelance commercial photographer. Eastham kept it casual in blue jeans and a black Hinus T-shirt. He was comfortable because he was able to have a discussion that got him out from under the traditional networking playbook.
Eastham drew inspiration from self-help author Wayne W Dyer, who famously advised, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” This philosophy took her through the month-long challenge, encouraging her to look at social interactions in a whole different light.
After this trial, Eastham is a true believer that people can change the way they talk. “You can change the script. Make it more authentic,” she stated. This understanding brought a new layer of appreciation to her growing awareness of the importance of connection and interaction among humans.
Beyond her experiment, Eastham is an impressive author in various formats. Her book _F**k I … Think I’m Dying_ – a personal exploration of mental health that was recently released by Penguin – takes readers deep into her own struggles. Priced at £9.99, the book reflects her unique voice and experiences in a candid manner, resonating with many readers.
As she begins to chart her own course within the publishing industry, Eastham experiments. More importantly, it reveals the joy and abundance that more meaningful connections have to offer. By replacing small talk with meaningful conversations, she found that something amazing happens when you have real conversations — it makes your life more fun and rewarding.