#TalkToMe is a social connection challenge for the month of October, which is World Mental Health Month.  You can tick off each challenge using the Challenge Accepted App but you can also join in using this list. You can learn more about the challenge – and the science – behind this challenge at: Talk To Me

How to do it?  For each of these situations below, start a conversation.  If you can, see if you can get to 2 minutes.  If you want, post or talk about it later. Don’t share any images of another person without their express consent.   At the end of the month or challenge, do you feel more confident?  Do you see more opportunities to connect with others in your daily life?  Do you see a positive effect in yourself or others?

Start easy.  Smile back and say hi to a stranger today who looks friendly.    Just be sure to make actual eye contact.

Queue Up!  Let’s start this challenge easy. Start a conversation with someone in a queue today. What were you waiting for?

Twins:  Start a 2 minute conversation with someone who has something the same as you. What is that?

Never Would I Ever

SStart a conversation with someone who is wearing or doing something that you would NEVER do or wear. What is that?

Generation Gap

Start a conversation with someone young enough to be your child or old enough to be your parent. What was the most interesting thing they said?

Service with a Smile

Start a conversation for 2 minutes with someone who is wearing any type of uniform. What uniform was it?

Nailed it!

Start a 2 minute conversation with someone who has great manicure. If you share, tell us what was great about their nails?

Where did you get those shoes?

Start a conversation with someone who is wearing interesting shoes. If you share, tell us about the shoes.

Eye of the Tiger

Start a conversation with someone in a pool, gym, golf/tennis, or while out running or walking. If you aren’t sporty, start a conversation with someone who is. For 400 points, what sport?

Inside Out

Start a conversation with someone indoors for 2 minutes. Did you talk about anything besides the weather?

Just Tattwo Minutes

Start a 2 minute conversation with someone with a tattoo.  If you share,, tell us what the tattoo was ?

Singles Only!

If you are single: start a conversation with someone you find attractive for 2 minutes. The goal is to have the conversation – not to get a date.

Look, no hands!

Start a conversation for 2 minutes with someone with empty hands. That’s right: no phone, no keys, no shopping.

Tee-riffic

Start a 2 minute conversation with someone wearing an interesting t-shirt. If you share,  tell us what was interesting about it.

A Talk on the Wild Side

Start a conversation with a stranger wearing an animal print. If you share, tell us what animal was it?

Tip Your Hat

Start a 2 minute conversation with someone wearing hat or scarf. What kind of hat was it?

  Find the Helpers

Start a conversation with someone who is helping or doing an act of kindness. If you share this, tell us what that kindness was.

Take A Break!

Start a conversation with someone who is on their break. What they were taking a break from.

  For Here or Take-Away?

Start a conversation with your barista – you know you have plenty of time while they make your pumpkin spice oat-milk latte with an extra shot of espesso with extra cream and caramel.

 Take Me To Your Leader!

Start a conversation with a group or team leader for 2 minutes. What did you talk about?

May I help you with this?

This is worth the extra points because you gotta work. For this challenge, assist a stranger struggling with a daily task, such as carrying a heavy bag. If you share,  tell us the story!

  The Art of the Connection

Find someone who looks artistic and have a 2 minute (or more) conversation. If you share this, include what kind of art they do: music, theatre, writing, painting? We’d love to see a pic of the art with that person’s express permission!

 Active and Outdoors

Find someone while you are outdoors and engage in a 2 minute conversation. If you share this, what was one random things that you discussed. Did you learn something new? Option: take a pic of the view if you were somewhere nice.

  Transport Ireland

To finish off this month’s challenge: Master Level. Start a conversation with someone next to you on public transport. Bus, train, plane, DART, Luas… If you share this, tell us how long was that conversation?