Blog - Talk 2 More People

31 Jan How a Stranger Changed my Book Writing

Posted at 20:01h in Blog, Talk 2 More People Movement, Talk2MorePeople Book

Listen Up

I overheard John speaking to another writer at the Maclab cafe at the Banff Centre for Creativity. There is a writing retreat on now and they are both participants. I am on my own private writing retreat in Banff while cat-sitting and decided yesterday to do some writing at the Banff Centre. I approached John and said, “Excuse me. May I ask you a quick question?” He said, “Yes”. “Are you here on the writers retreat?” Again, he replied, “Yes.” This led us into a conversation where he told me about an authors’ event. It was open to the public and happening that night, so I attended. It was great.

A Sequence of Events

The event itself was great, but the insight that I had while there was fantastic. I met award-winning author Anakana Schofield and heard readings from other talented authors. What a privilege. The insight I came to was that I must include more of my circus story into my book. So I will, and I am excited. This is real-world evidence of how a conversation with a stranger can improve your work or your life. So get out there and meet someone!

Tony Esteves has presented and performed for people on 5 continents. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he is a play-based workshop facilitator and performer. He facilitates communication and resiliency and improves team dynamics. He studied improv at the Second City Improv Training Centre, has a Bachelor of Communication Studies degree, and loves to bring people together.

Tony has been performing with Le Cirque de la Nuit since 2014 and was a part of their 2016 TEDxYYC performance. He believes that people can best move their lives and careers forward by having more face-to-face conversations. (That is how he got into the circus). This is why he created the Talk2MorePeople Project. During this social experiment, Tony meet at least one new stranger a day for an entire year and positively transformed his life. Now he teaches how to meet people through coaching, workshops and keynote presentations. The Talk2MorePeople book will be released in 2020.

With a professional background in logistics and communication, Tony has presented at conferences in Canada, Italy, the USA and South Africa. Having lived and worked in 40 countries, he has worked in a variety of unique jobs. These include managing logistics for the US military in Uzbekistan, teaching in Japan and corporate sales in Ukraine. Audiences from Tony’s presentations leave entertained, educated, inspired and empowered.

24 Jan Did You Know That Learning Can Be Fun?

Posted at 07:32h in Blog, Le Cirque de la Nuit, Play, Play2MeetPeople, Talk2MorePeople Book

Did you know that learning can be fun?

The below video is from a recent event called, Play2MeetPeople Networking. This is a series of community events to bring adults together to play and then network. The next event will be on February 19th, 2020.

Play is not only an enjoyable way to learn, but also assists in making the learning more memorable. Participants remember more about the way you make them feel during a learning experience, than what you said.

So why not give your team a memorable learning experience? Go ahead, bring in the juggler.

Creating connections in Calgary, Canada, Tony Esteves is a play-based facilitator, keynote speaker and performer. He studied at the Second City Improv Training Centre, has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and has been performing with Le Cirque de la Nuit since 2014. He was a part of their 2016 TEDx performance, “The Creative Process.” In the circus, Tony dazzles, juggles and plays with audiences to create memorable experiences.

He believes that people can move their lives and businesses forward by having more face-to-face conversations and therefore created the Talk2MorePeople Project. During this social experiment, Tony met at least one new stranger a day for an entire year, and through the people he met, transformed his life for the better. In total over 550 strangers came into his life that year. The Talk2MorePeople book teaches people how to make face-to-face connections and will be released in 2020. The online “How to Meet People Masterclass” is available now HERE.

Many of Tony’s connections came from the 40 countries that he has travelled to or worked in. In his free time, you can find Tony scrambling or snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies, studying a language or playing mini-Ping-Pong.

27 Dec You Can Learn How To Meet People

Posted at 06:26h in Blog, Play, Play2MeetPeople

Like learning anything else, you can learn how to meet people. It is such an important skill to have today that it is worth developing. But can it be fun? Yes. It can.

Congratulations Graduates!

On Monday, December 16th, Mohamed, Cyrus, Shyla and Sean graduated the Talk2MorePeople Live coaching program. Monday evenings for 5 weeks, we met to practice the skill of meeting people. Through role-playing and actually interacting with the public, everyone got plenty of practice and improved their communication skills. We had fun learning about each other as we explored how to make new connections with people. Just because meeting people is serious business, it doesn’t mean you need to take it too seriously.

You can do this too.

Learning how to meet people can be fun. Reading about this subject is important but the best way to learn is to get coached through it. Reach out to Tony if you would like to learn about upcoming in-person coaching programs. tonyatTalk2MorePeople.com

Are you ready to learn?

If you would like some free tips on how to meet people, attend the next free Play2MeetPeople networking event in Calgary on January 7th, 2020. There you will have fun, and meet strangers and learn a few things about how people connect in person today. There might even be a birthday cake…

The below video explains the activity that we will be doing on that day. Register today with the link above to join us.

Creating connections in Calgary, Canada, Tony Esteves is a play-based workshop facilitator, performer and coach. He studied at the Second City Improv Training Centre and has been performing with Le Cirque de la Nuit since 2014. He was a part of their 2016 TEDx performance, “The Creative Process.”

He believes that people can move their lives and businesses forward by having more face-to-face conversations and therefore created the Talk2MorePeople Project. During this social experiment, Tony met at least one new stranger a day for an entire year, and his life transformed for the better. Tony created Play2MeetPeople Networking events for people to have fun and meet strangers. The Talk2MorePeople Book will get released in 2020. Visit Talk2MorePeople.com/tools for free tips on how to meet people.

03 Dec Is Connection Still Relevant?

Posted at 20:17h in Blog

Is connection still relevant today? Does it matter if we have deep discussions with people from time to time? After all, everybody is so busy. Who has time to build connections these days?

Last Thursday night, I had the pleasure of attending a Living Room Series event in Calgary, and it was a meaningful discussion. It was very much worth the time.

“The Living Room Series is inspired by 18th-century French salons, where a cross-section of society would gather to discuss ideas and share their passion for the arts.”

Such events have been happening in Calgary since 2017 and have also taken place in Vancouver and across Asia. Last week, the topic was F.O.M.O. – The fear of missing out. We talked about what that means to each of us and discussed the subject in detail.

At one point, this question came up, “Why do I focus so much on what I still need to do in terms of personal or professional growth, but not on my accomplishments?” What came to me was, “That’s because the rearview mirror is so small compared to the front windshield. We can’t help but be overwhelmed by what’s ahead at times, and it can be difficult to remember where we came from.”

I am sure there are songs that use this metaphor. It seemed fitting because the front view is so much broader than the rearview. There are so many places to look, and choices to make. When you look in the rearview mirror, it’s more static. It is history, after all. While I don’t think we should spend most of our time looking at our past, I do believe that we can benefit from taking the time to recognize what we accomplished there.

How to acknowledge accomplishments

Slow down. When living a busy life, it can be easy to forget time for reflection. Even taking deep breaths throughout the day can help.
Create a morning or mindfulness practice to express gratitude and to reflect on your life experience. Use a pen and a notebook for this.
Celebrate your accomplishments small and large with feelings of self-acceptance. What accomplishments make you feel proud?

We were a group of eleven people, and the conversation flowed naturally. Everyone had an opportunity to contribute, share and learn. I am grateful to have attended as such discussions are particularly important today. They help build human connection which is more relevant now than ever.

Visit http://livingroomseries.me to learn about upcoming events in your city so you can also be a part of a meaningful conversation and to help build connection.

17 Oct Play2MeetPeople – How Meeting People Can Be Fun

Posted at 18:26h in Play, Play2MeetPeople, Talk 2 More People Movement, Talk2MorePeople Book

How Meeting People Can Be Fun

Some people enjoy meeting strangers, some do not. Some people find it challenging, while others love it. Some people have experienced incredible growth and adventure by meeting new people, and some don’t believe that’s possible.

Which category are you in?

Would you like to learn how to become more comfortable meeting new people? And even have fun doing so? If so, take one more minute, and read on.

Can meeting people be fun?

Yes!

Fact: Meeting new people can positively change your life. It’s a fact because doing so undoubtedly changed my life, and I hear from people weekly about how doing so has positively changed theirs. Positive change is fun.

Fact: Meeting new people can improve mental health.

Fact: Many people find meeting strangers even more terrifying than death.

Fact: Meeting strangers can be fun. It is true. It happens randomly in the real world and at events. Lots of strangers are fun people waiting to be met. But you may not know or believe that if you have never met any of them.

Meeting strangers can be fun in the real world:

You are allowed to have fun with many aspects of your life, even if you have never done so. Being playful while you are in public, and in a position to meet new people is a great way to break the ice for several reasons.

When you make a joke or have fun, people will often be able to relate to what you are joking about. This can build rapport and lead to a conversation once you have a shared experience through humour.

Generally, people enjoy laughter and being entertained. It can snap someone out of their routine and provide a much-needed break from daily stressors. Of course, not everyone enjoys a good joke or surprise comment, but more do than you may think.

When you express a pun, a joke or a funny observation, you are being authentic by being in the moment. Being authentic is a critical way to make connections with people.

How to Have Fun Meeting Strangers at an Event:

That’s easy, even if you don’t consider yourself to be a fun person. All you have to do is attend a networking event that was designed to be playful. There you will meet other people who are interested in having fun while meeting new people. Why not attend a free event? Take a look at:

Play2MeetPeople: Have fun. Meet strangers.

The only thing you need to bring is a smile.

If you need a personal invitation, take a look at this 90-second VIDEO.

There happens to be one such event coming up in Calgary at the Central Public Library on Wednesday, November 6th from 4.30-6.30pm. Why not show up, and find out for yourself how meeting people can be fun?

You can register for free HERE.

Below are some photos from the first Play2MeetPeople Networking event in Calgary. We had fun. We met strangers.

Yours in Playfulness,

Tony Esteves

He believes that people can move their lives forward by having more face-to-face conversations and created the Talk2MorePeople Project. During this social experiment, Tony meet at least one new stranger a day for an entire year, and his life was positively transformed. Tony created Play2MeetPeople Networking events for other people to have fun and meet strangers.

Visit Talk2MorePeople.com/book for updates about the upcoming Talk2MorePeople Book – A Playful Guide on How To Meet Strangers.

08 Sep Interrupt Someone to Join a Conversation

Posted at 04:25h in Talk 2 More People Movement, Talk2MorePeople Book

You can meet a new person by interrupting them. Just be sure to be polite about it. In this case, I was working on my computer and two people interrupted me. I was NOT inconvenienced by this at all. We had a nice conversation and learned a few things about each other.

While I don’t suggest that you are ever rude to anyone, it may be helpful to know that even while people appear to be busy on their phone or their computer, you can probably still get into a conversation with them, if you choose to.

Enjoy.

Tony Esteves has entertained people on 5 continents. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he works as a play-based workshop facilitator and performer. He studied improv at the Second City Improv Training Centre in Toronto and loves to bring people together. Tony has been performing with Le Cirque de la Nuit since 2014 and was a part of their 2016 TEDx performance. He believes that people can best move their lives and careers forward by having more face-to-face conversations. (That is how he got into the circus). And this is why he created the Talk2MorePeople Project. During this social experiment, Tony met at least one new stranger a day for an entire year and his life was positively transformed. Check out Talk2MorePeople.com for updates about the upcoming Talk2MorePeople Book – A Playful Guide on How To Meet Strangers.

20 Aug How To Meet People: Be Helpful

Posted at 03:43h in Blog, Mountains, Play, Talk 2 More People Movement, Talk2MorePeople Book

Being helpful is just one of many ways that people naturally meet. Having a helpful mindset can allow you to get into a conversation with people and then to build new connections. This short video highlights some of the fun that Vera, Rafael and I had together as complete strangers.

It was a great experience to have randomly met these two new friends at the Calgary International Airport. By simply helping them out, we got into a conversation and ended up spending much of an afternoon together. We had never met before.

I got to show them around Calgary, and they enjoyed a free private tour. Meeting new people doesn’t always lead to new friendships or transformational experiences, but you will find that the more you do it, the more often it can happen. You can “Use Help to Say Hi” to meet new people. Being of service to others is not only wonderfully courteous but allows for new connections to develop. It was great to have met you both Rafael and Vera!

How might you help someone out today?

Tony Esteves is a play-based workshop facilitator, MC and a circus performer who is passionate about connecting people to people. His unique international experiences and aptitude for meeting strangers provide the foundation for Talk2MorePeople.com. He is the creator of the Talk2MorePeople Project which was a challenge to meet one new stranger a day for a full year. This purpose of this was to encourage people to get off their technology and back into face-to-face conversations. Having lived, worked or traveled to 40 countries, Tony has delivered sessions across North America, Europe and in South Africa. Tony speaks Russian, Japanese and Portuguese and is passionate about being in the mountains. He is a contributing author to the book, Big Ideas For The Big Stage – A grassroots guide that provides information, advice and insider tips to becoming a better speaker and presenter. His upcoming book is, “Talk2MorePeople – A Playful Guide on How to Meet Strangers.” Visit www.Talk2MorePeople.com/book for updates. Audiences from Tony’s presentations leave entertained, educated and empowered.

06 Feb The Gifts of Meeting Strangers

Posted at 05:41h in Blog

There are more benefits to meeting new people that can be easily summarized. In this video, Tony speaks about how the person he met on Day 142 of the Talk2MorePeople Project – Tru Guy Stefan – has become one of his best friends and colleagues in Calgary. And that is a gift that keeps on giving.
Tony and Tru were advised to meet through a mutual friend in Toronto, Garth Sam. They did meet and many wonderful things have blossomed from their friendship today, more than two years later.

Tru’s work and some of his musical talent can be found on his website, TruGuy.com.

He is the creator of the Talk2MorePeople Project which was a challenge to meet one new stranger a day for a full year. This purpose of this was to encourage people to get off their technology and back into face-to-face conversations.

Having lived, worked or travelled to 40 countries, Tony has delivered sessions across North America, Europe and in South Africa. Tony speaks Russian, Japanese and Portuguese and is passionate about being in the mountains.

He is a contributing author to the book, Big Ideas For The Big Stage – A grassroots guide that provides information, advice and insider tips to becoming a better speaker and presenter.

His upcoming book, “Talk2MorePeople – A Playful Guide on How to Meet Strangers” will be released mid-2019. Stay updated about the release of it here www.talk2morepeople.com/book

Audiences from Tony’s presentations leave entertained, educated and empowered.

03 Feb How To Meet People: Be Playful

Posted at 20:52h in Talk 2 More People Movement, Talk2MorePeople Book

Play is one of the many ways that you can make connections with new people. Being playful is a fantastic ice-breaker and can allow organic conversations with strangers to unfold. Take it from Tony, who met over 550 strangers in one year.

So allow yourself to relax. Stop taking yourself so seriously and go meet some people. Your life will improve as a result in ways that you can’t possibly imagine.

In the below video from January 2019, Tony speaks about being playful as a method of meeting new people.

The second video below is from Day 261 of the Talk2MorePeople Project and was recorded on December 29th, 2016. Take a look at how Tony used play to get into a conversation with a stranger and even played mini-Ping-Pong on a train doing so.

06 Dec An Impound Lot Conversation

Posted at 21:14h in Blog

It really is amazing what you can learn from people when you take a moment to instigate a conversation.

Last evening I found myself in a van while helping a friend pick up a vehicle at an impound lot. While the friend was searching for documents in his vehicle, I was sitting in the back of the van with the employee in his service vehicle. Just the two of us. Two strangers. In the impound lot.

I was tired and my energy wasn’t great, so while waiting I thought about pulling out my phone in the silence and checking the usual things: Email, social media, perhaps some news. But knowing that random conversations are much more worthwhile than checking in digitally, I made a conscious decision to start a conversation.

I asked the man, “May I ask what country your accent comes from?“. And that was all it took.

This very friendly person opened up and explained how his father was German and his mother was Filipino and shared with me a great deal of history about the Philippines that I did not know. Specifically, he went into great detail about how about 80% of the Filipino language, “Tagalog”, is the same as the Spanish language. That’s why I’ve recognized some words when hearing people speak Filipino / Tagalog – because I understand some Portuguese (which is so similar to Spanish). The Spanish colonized the Philippines and were in power for over 300 years. All of this made me think, “Hey, perhaps I’ll study Tagalog someday?” and further increased my desire to visit that country.

He also told me to be sure to spend my time in the northern part of the country when I visit.

In the five minutes or so that we were talking, I felt as if I was hanging out with a friend. I was genuinely fascinated with his life experience and with what he shared with me.

Going to the impound lot is typically not an enjoyable experience for anyone. Did you know, the impound lot only protect your vehicles and they are not actually the people who tow your car? That was interesting for me to learn.

But on this night – this cold winter night – two people just enjoyed a conversation and it was great. My energy was completely shifted to the positive as a result and I’m sure that wouldn’t have been the case if I had picked up my phone. The old friend who was picking up his vehicle also felt positive despite the circumstances and we went on to have an enjoyable evening catching up.

This was yet another reminder that talking to strangers is worthwhile. So give it a try!

Are you not comfortable doing so? Don’t worry, I’ve got a book coming out in the new year that will guide you through how to do this. These little encounters can do much more than educate and improve someone’s mood. They can positively change the direction of your life.

Happy December.