Being cut off mid-sentence can be frustrating. Here are Teen Breathe’s top tips to help you navigate interruptions, speak up with confidence, and feel heard in conversations.
It’s your turn to talk. People around you are listening, hanging on your every word – until someone interrupts. With your train of thought derailed and your punchline snuffed out, you might find yourself falling silent and returning to listening mode.
Having someone talk over you can leave you feeling ignored, disrespected, or even overpowered, especially if it happens a lot; so what’s behind this frustrating behaviour?
Easy though it might be to take it as a signal that you’re not interesting or important enough to speak, that is absolutely not the case. Everyone has the right to a voice, whether discussing philosophy or the latest series on Netflix.
6 tips for what to do when people talk over you
It can be hard to know how to respond when someone interrupts you.
Here are six suggestions for smoothing out the situation:
1 LET IT GO
If it’s a one-off, you could take a deep breath and let it pass.
You can still look out for a chance to get back to what you were saying, just press the pause button for now.
2 STAND YOUR GROUND
If it happens often and you feel ready to address it, there are careful ways to reclaim your space in the conversation. It’s important to be assertive but not aggressive. Saying something like: ‘That’s interesting, but just to finish what I was saying…’ could work in certain situations.
3 ACCEPT THE INPUT
Acknowledging the interrupter’s desire to speak can allow you to share the stage. Be clear that you’re eager to hear what they have to say as soon as you’ve wrapped up your piece.
4 LOOK FOR SUPPORT
In group environments, check to see whether you still have anyone else’s attention. Someone might still be listening to you so, if you can, keep going, even if only to them.
5 SAY HOW YOU FEEL
If you continue to get cut off, a one-to-one, judgement-free conversation could be helpful. Sometimes just explaining how it makes you feel might be enough. You could say something like: ‘I know you don’t mean to make me feel bad, but when you talk over me like that, I feel a bit sidelined.’
6 REMEMBER IT’S A COMMON THING
Pretty much everyone will experience conversational clashes at some point. Keeping in mind that social setbacks happen to people of all ages, too, might be enough to soften the blow the next time you’re cut off mid-sentence.
WORDS: ALEX BOWERS
ILLUSTRATIONS: PHILIPPA COULES
This article was originally published under the title Overcoming Interruptions in Issue 43 – Finding Your Brave. You can get this issue here to enjoy more mindful inspiration.
