4 Ways to Check in On Someone in a Non-Awkward Way

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The anniversary of 9/11 is punctuating a difficult week. Fires are raging. The presidential election is getting uglier. Parents are sacrificing income for at-home learning. The scourge of police violence continues.

For those with underlying stresses, from health issues to financial hardship, the state of the world may feel unbearable.

Those are the people we should be checking in on, of course. But how do you have a conversation with someone you’re concerned about in a way that doesn’t feel awkward, inadequate, or condescending?

Keep this guidance from four Forge stories in mind:

Ask a random question

In “How To Talk About Literally Anything Else,” Leah Fessler writes, “Ask them simple, intentional questions to keep the conversation focused on things that make you both feel good during a time when feeling good is a welcome change.” (Click the link for dozens of examples, like “What’s your comfort food?” and “Do you believe in ghosts?”)

Ask a focused question

In “A Better Question than ‘How Can I Help’,” Natasha Frost writes, “By offering a specific way that you can help, you’ve already made it easier for them to accept. More than that, you’ve demonstrated that you’re genuinely…