How to Get Comfortable with Awkward Silence

Photo by Cory Bouthillette on Unsplash

Awkward silence.

Perhaps just reading those words made you squirm a little. It’s the conversational equivalent of a middle school slow dance: stiff, uncertain, and uncomfortable.

But there’s a bit of a twist here — the awkward silences are not the enemy. In fact, embracing them can transform our productivity, our creativity, and even our relationships.

Let’s set the scene.

You’re in an elevator, a work meeting, or even alone in your living room. It’s quiet. You can’t reach for your phone or a random task to distract yourself. Just… silence.

You start to feel like you’re on a first date with your own brain, and it’s not going great…

Now, before you run from this moment, let me tell you why leaning into awkward silences is a skill that is really worth honing.

Why Silence Feels So Uncomfortable

The discomfort of silence isn’t just in your head — it’s in our biology.

Our brains are wired to seek stimulation, novelty, and connection.

Silence feels a lot like stagnation, and our knee-jerk reaction is to fill the void, often with mindless scrolling, chatter, or maybe…