Big Talk Founder, Kalina Silverman has signed a book deal with Tarcher Perigee / Penguin Random House! The book will be about how to make Big Talk in your everyday life. Thank you The Bindery Agency for believing in the project, and everyone who helped make this happen! 10 years ago, Kalina filmed the first Big Talk video, […]
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Join Make Big Talk for a Summer Solstice Celebration at Annenberg Beach House on June 20th! The summer solstice, a time of heightened daylight and energy, can be a perfect opportunity for deep reflection and introspection. Here are some meaningful questions to consider: Personal Growth How have I grown or changed since the last summer […]
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) Join Big Talk and Santa Monica’s Art of Recovery Program in Planting Seeds of Hope for May’s Mental Health Awareness Month! Big Talk will host pop-ups at various events throughout the city with an interactive art installation for passersby to stop […]
Forget Small Talk—It’s Time for “Big Talk” Says Kalina Silverman, Whose Viral Movement is Curbing Loneliness and Creating Connection By Lauren Westphal March 16, 2024 Moving Yourself & Humanity Forward Almost 10 years ago, Kalina Silverman was in a new city living a busy life—attending events, signing up for activities, and meeting new people all […]
Free Big Talk Question Card Games for Community Ambassadors! To apply, send a direct message to @makebigtalk on Instagram or an email to bigtalkinquiry@gmail.com,with your name, organization, shipping address, and an explanation of how you would use the cards in your community. Thanks for the work that you do! 🙂
This week, with Valentine’s Day coming up, we’re thinking about Love! Big Talk is lucky to have been a part of a couple of marriage proposals and even a relationship blossiming into a couple having a baby girl! Here are some deep questions to skip the small talk centered around love. Great for anyone whether […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you? Today is World Kindness Day! I’m partnering with GoFundMe to raise money for their Holiday Drive, which helps people pay for essentials like rent, food, and bills. Today only, GoFundMe […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) This Big Talk Instagram video has generated over 20 million views, 1 million likes, and countless heartfelt comments from people all over the world who want to help this amazing 90-year-old woman fulfill the last item on her bucket list: See […]
Today marks the 8-year anniversary of Big Talk! It all began as a video I made one summer, where I walked up to complete strangers and invited them to answer the question, “What do you want to do before you die?” Through this video, I hoped to show that no one needs to feel lonely. […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) Big Talk with Sharon Dunas. Warning: Discusses suicide. This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. Please know that you are never alone in your suffering. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the Suicide […]
RSVP HERE: https://partiful.com/e/yxc1flcGIxJjhnqm52YY Join us for a unique and memorable evening! Bring your friends, family, or date, or come solo! The theme of this paint night will be: NATURE AND ADVENTURE
(TRIGGER WARNING: THIS VIDEO & POST MENTIONS SUICIDE AND EATING DISORDERS) View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) This heartbreaking Big Talk conversation has generated over 1 million views on Instagram Reels. I shared this message with the speaker, Sharon Dunas, and she asked me to share this […]
Get tickets here: https://bucketlisters.com/experience/big-talk-music-wine-paint-night View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) Future of Behavioral Health What’s the Future of Behavioral Health? Come to an Ideas Exchange event and help Santa Monica decide! Behavioral health (including mental health and substance use) issues affect everybody in our community so it’s time to come together, share […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) The U.S. Fulbright Program makes Big Talk in Washington D.C.!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnNv6axOtVF/ “How are you” can be too vague of a question for people to feel like they can answer honestly. So, usually, the generic response is “Good, and you?” Here are 7 alternative questions you can ask instead to skip the small talk. They may lead to more interesting and/or thoughtful answers! “How has life […]
This Thanksgiving and Holiday Season, give an extra deck of the Big Talk Question Card Game to someone you are thankful for! Or save it as a Winter gift or Christmas stocking stuffer. Here are some ideas for how to use Big Talk this holiday season: Conversation Openers for Holiday Dinners Icebreakers for Group Gatherings […]
Fighting loneliness and social isolation, fostering community belonging and connection, and building global curiosity and empathy are what Big Talk is all about. Join me next week at the Foundation for Social Connection Global Action Forum for 1 of 3 free virtual Big Talk workshops. Keynote speakers of the forum include […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) Hi friends! Thank you so much for coming out to our first-ever Big Talk Santa Monica Summer Solstice event! Fighting modern-day loneliness, fostering community belonging, and building empathy and curiosity across borders – is what Big Talk is all about!! Thank […]
Hey everyone! Big Talk is now on Tik Tok underneath @makebigtalk. Here, we will be posting explainer videos as well as Big Talk conversations with strangers. Please follow to stay updated. Thanks! @makebigtalk I just got back from a party and was thinking about some ideas for how small talk could be better if it […]
Big Talk co-hosted alongside Listenup.LP – These have been a magical initiative to bring people together to celebrate music, community, and connection!! Check out our artists on Instagram below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG TALK (@makebigtalk) View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIG […]
Hi friends! It’s finally here! You can order the 2nd Version of Big Talk today! If you enjoyed the first edition of the Big Talk Question Card Game, you will love this one! It has 150 entirely new questions to skip the small talk and make more meaningful connections. Giftable table-top size for home or […]
The Fulbright Program featured 75th Legacy Alumni Ambassadors answering Fulbright-themed Big Talk questions to reflect on their experiences and imagine the future of the program. This group, which includes scientists, teachers, changemakers, and young leaders, discusses how the Fulbright Program will meet a complex and changing world. The Fulbright Program’s impact is far-reaching and diverse. It shapes health, science, […]
A sincere, thoughtful, and kind compliment can be magical. It has the power to change someone’s day, making them feel happier and more appreciated. There’s nothing wrong with a small talk compliment such as complimenting someone’s physical appearance… However, try thinking of a compliment as a way to dive deeper. Give a Big Talk compliment […]
Are you or someone you care about considering making a career change? Here are some Big Talk Questions you can ask yourself and others that can help guide you through different transitions: Career Switch What is something you always wanted to try professionally or learn more about but didn’t have time to explore? What is […]
With the onset of fall, people retreat indoors to connect with their family and friends for the holidays. However, it is important that we maintain another kind of connection – our connection with strangers. Below are some proven benefits of talking to strangers. Improved Health Humans are wired to connect, and this connection affects our […]
Try these simple ways to become more approachable and invite in more opportunities for Big Talk! Smile and make eye contact Look people directly in the eye with a sincere smile, and you will be surprised by what kinds of conversations and interactions your warmth will invite! Ask their name, then repeat it When you […]
You just downloaded the new Big Talk Questions App. Now what? Read below for ideas on how to play! With Friends Go through some Big Talk questions over brunch or Happy Hour with friends. You might be surprised to learn something entirely different and meaningful about someone you thought you already knew! Bring Big Talk […]
Play with friends, family, dating interests, travel buddies, coworkers, classmates, students, and more! You can also use these as daily self-reflection questions. Download on the App Store or Google Play.
As we navigate our way through the 21st century, our experts on human psychology and socialization have been pointing to the steady emergence of a new type of crisis—a crisis of social connection. Although we live in an age where connecting with someone on the other side of the globe can be done with the […]
“The organizations of the future that people will be the most excited to work for will be those that foster supportive social ties for those in the room and also those that are not.” (HBR, 2021) It’s not easy to make a meaningful connection with someone you only know through a screen. However, with the […]
Our first in-person Big Talk event after a year of social distancing! We asked strangers to stop by and skip the small talk to answer: “What do you want to do before you die?” Young children, the elderly, and people from around the world participated. It felt special to connect in person again and see […]
After a year of limited socializing, you are feeling ready to skip the small talk and reconnect with people. Maybe you have an upcoming work function or family gathering, and you want to make sure it is a meaningful experience. Perhaps you just got your own pack of Big Talk cards delivered and are excited […]
What makes you feel most alive? Where do you find peace when times get hard? What are you curious about lately? Who do you need to get in touch with because it’s been too long? – “Big Talk” moves past small talk to facilitate more meaningful conversations through questions that are open-ended, universal, and elicit […]
Here are some highlights for Big Talk in 2020! 1. News Features about Big Talk in Forbes (36 Questions to help you Live Longer), LA Times, Voyage LA, and Today.com. 2. Virtual Events for Veteran Rites, Bridges in Tennessee, Twine, IG Live with Justin Jesso and Leigh Miron, Northwestern University, William Angliss Institute Australia, U.S. […]
150 future doctors “made Big Talk,” for Harvard Medical School’s 2020 new student orientation. Last year, students participated in the Big Talk activity in person. However this year, programming was virtual. Students were first played the “Big Talk Before I die…” video. They were then split into breakout groups of 7-8 individuals, where they discussed […]
This article was originally published in Forbes. Check it out! “36 Questions to Help You Live Longer” By Kalina Silverman and Diana Rau 2020 marks the 82nd year that researchers at Harvard University began following 724 college age men as part of the longest running study in history on human development. Their objective? To determine […]
A Big Talk journal is a great way to have a deep conversation with yourself and reset your mind. Download here: www.bit.ly/bigtalkjournal
My motto during this quarantine and time of encouraging social isolation is inspired by Christopher McCandless’s (Into the Wild) realization after living in social isolation for 114 days: “Happiness is only real when shared.” And as we struggle at home through the anxieties that quarantine life may present us, Anna Draper’s sentiment in Mad Men […]
On the UN’s “International Day of the Girl, St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Virginia hosted a special day of celebration for 1000 teenage girls. Kalina was invited to speak about Big Talk and how it can enhance building more open and meaningful relationships both at school and at home. After the speaking portion of the […]
6/9/2019 – The US Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan hosted Kalina Silverman to present Big Talk to exchange alumni and local audience members at GroundZero Kitob Olami. Guests learned how to “make Big Talk,” answered Big Talk questions in small groups, shared videos and personal stories out loud, and wrote their own unique Big Talk questions. […]
In May, Kalina attended Fulbright Ambassador congressional meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC to present the Fulbright project “Establishing cross-culture empathy through Big Talk” to senators and representatives. She was able to gift the Senator of Delaware’s office a set of Big Talk cards to use at their staff retreat, and Senator Dick Durbin […]
Big Talk themed meetups have been held around the world. Check out some of the ones in: Hamburg, Germany Charleston, South Carolina Smyrna, Georgia Perth, Australia
Forbe’s features Kalina’s Quora response to “How can we make more meaningful connections with people we’ve just met?” Read here.
This morning I received an email from Trinidad! On July 4th, the lovely Lynn-Marie Edwards hosted a Big Talk event for 70 at the Kaiso Blues Cafe: When I asked Lynn-Marie what organization helped her put on the event, I was touched by her answer: “I am not attached to any organisation. I am just […]