People are full of pretty words with little meanings.

How many times has somebody said something to you that you are absolutely certain is not backed by sincerity?

When you know somebody is paying you lip service, what is your general reaction?

The world can be very complicated when viewed through the filter of genuine sentiment versus platitudes.

When you are the beneficiary of platitudes or false phrase, how does it make you feel when receiving it? Do you feel elevated for having received the compliment or do you see right through it as either a manipulative act or just a social norm and dismiss it as being as vacuous as it truly is.

There are times when people will pay somebody a compliment in order to presumably make them feel good about something in order to lubricate the conversation and allow it to matriculate into more meaningful territory.

A small complement often times works wonders for those moments, but when you are the recipient of such a compliment and you sense it is disingenuous, does it actually make you feel better or do you see through it for the strategic maneuver that it ultimately is?

Do you find yourself under various circumstances willing or able to pass along a similar complement under similar circumstances?

Do you use such a communication technique in order to open the door to a more meaningful discussion?

I have a very low tolerance for small talk. I avoid it wherever and whenever possible. When I am forced to engage on this level, it takes a substantial amount of my attention to stay engaged, as my brain is already off on five new topics I was thinking about previously.

If you are going to take the time to communicate with another person, find a real reason to chat, open the dialogue and give them full attention, focus and interest.

Otherwise, you are just fettering away your amazing journey here on planet Earth!

Happy Thursday!