Humans, although having the same make-up and generally similar body components, are not the same social creatures. Some people are more sensitive than others and because of this, we have to be mindful of what we say and how we express ourselves during conversations with different people. You may even discover that all this while, you have been making people uncomfortable due to the certain boundaries you have been crossing unintentionally. Here is a list of the boundaries you need to be mindful of when conversing with other people.
Physical Proximity
People can hear what you are saying to them even without you leaning into them or being too close to them. Unless the situation calls you to whisper to them or to be close to them, you need to ensure that you keep a respectable distance between you and the person you are having a conversation with. Based on their reaction, cues and personal preference, leave a comfortable distance between you and the person you are talking to. You don't want to pass on the wrong message to other people, do you?
Religion and Culture
Religion and culture are very sensitive topics. You can’t just bring up someone's religion and culture unwarranted in conversations; it is worse if you assume the religion is based on their ethnicity. Unless it is truly necessary to inquire about someone's religion and culture, you should keep the conversation friendly by avoiding such sensitive topics.
Finances
Under what circumstances do you think that mentioning someone’s finances is okay in a conversation? Even more, why are you flaunting your finances unprovoked during conversations? Unless you are required to be talking about finances, you need to avoid bringing them up. Money-related topics are very emotionally taxing and uncomfortable. You, therefore, should not bring up finances unless it is necessary to do so. We don't want to provoke other people unintentionally, do we?
Appearance
General compliments are nice and very empowering to the one being passed the comment. Statements like ‘ you look nice, you smell amazing, and I love your hairstyle’ are all friendly and acceptable. If you, however, find yourself getting into detail on someone’s appearance, you are now crossing the line. Topics on weight, skin and structure are very personal topics and you can't just throw them into a conversation unless you are asked to comment on it by the person you are having the conversation with. Stay away from comments that also try to match someone’s age and appearance as they are also uncomfortable and may result in unnecessary resentment.
Commenting On Their Future Plans
Put yourself in other people’s shoes before you ask questions about their plans. An example would be asking a married couple when they are planning on having a baby. You don't know what people are going through as well as what they may be struggling with when it comes to their future. Adding comments relating to people’s future can easily make them defensive and openly hostile to you. If you desire to keep the conversation simple and friendly, you should not make comments about their future unnecessarily. Remember this: people are emotional creatures, and by triggering their emotions through sensitive topics, you'll regret it.
Gossip
It's very big of you to want to make the person you are conversing with aware of the rumours and gossip that is being spread around about them. However, you can't control their reaction and because of this, there are so many ways the conversation can quickly result in negative outcomes. Don't be the bearer of unnecessary bad news. Stick to friendly topics and constructive topics instead of making unnecessary remarks. If you are also someone who is onto gossip, new interactions are not the place to introduce gossip. This may have a very bad impression on you and it may reflect badly on your morals as well. This may also lead to unnecessary altercations, making the conversation ugly very quickly. Stir clear from gossip, unless you are talking to your gossip buddy.
Recent Emotionally Triggering Events
You need to tread very lightly if you are bringing up traumatic events in conversations. Topics like recent deaths, divorce, abuse or other sensitive and emotionally triggering topics should be avoided. However, when it is necessary to mention them, you need to do it with caution and empathetically. Be sensitive towards other people’s emotions and when possible, avoid bringing up triggering conversations.
Passing Your Judgements
Just because someone is telling you how they feel and what they are going through, it doesn't mean that they are asking to be judged. For once, just be a listener, and unless they ask for your constructive criticism, keep your comments to yourself. By judging the person you are having a conversation with, you'll make them uncomfortable and unwilling to share with you any further. Keep your judgments to yourself and always remember to approach new conversations with an open mind and non-judgemental attitude.
Time
You should ensure that you don't encroach into other people's time during conversations. The conversation may be going very well, however, people have so many different obligations that have their time divided. You should, therefore, avoid prolonging conversations unless you both agree to it and are enjoying the direction of the conversation. If you catch the person that you are having a conversation with constantly checking their watch, you need to consider wrapping up the conversation; otherwise, you'll become that person who people avoid because you rumble on and on about anything and everything.