Awakin call with Robbie Stokes infused us with enthusiasm to genuinely open up to people, to engage in meaningful conversations.

Robbie has started the movement – I Talk to Strangers (ITTS).



On the question of how it all started, Robbie said it’s curiosity of child inside and his faith in message from the heart. Listen more about it in the audio clip below.



Robbie shared story from his encounter with a stranger in Spain – a heartwarming example of how conversation with a stranger can be so deeply meaningful and touching.



Q: How do you make the ITTS movement effective?
Robbie said it starts with action – doing it, and doing it wholeheartedly…



Q: How did talking to strangers transformed you?


Robbie spoke from the heart as to how work from Dr Martin Luther King inspired him…



Q: How did you pull in younger generation so effectively?



Q: What would you like to do using relationship with Google?



Q: Does/can social media provide the same quality in conversations as face to face interactions?



Q: When you talk to a stranger, there is a gap – gap of generation, or gap of language, or gap of culture, or gap of value system …etc. How do you bridge that gap?
Robbie explained his five points to success – off course there was smile in there as well as patience to listen to a stranger among other things, and being your natural self…



Q: What do you expect next with the ITTS movement?



Q: How are you so comfortable in your own natural self?



Q: I moved recently to Portland from the Bay Area. However, I still keep relationships with friends from Bay Area. Sometimes, that gets in way of making new friends where I am now. How do you bring online conversations to off line?



Q: I have travelled all over the world. I loved talking to strangers, and developed wonderful relationships. My challenge is how to maintain relationships. How do you do that?



Q: How do you handle generation gap in conversations?
Robbie has fun, insightful example of striking relationship with a 70 year old in his answer and importance of listening...



Q: Talking to strangers is easy. When I am talking to people closer to me, opening up for me is harder. How do handle that?
Robbie brought a new angle to it in becoming the change we wish to see in the world...



Q: What are some of the challenges locally and globally that you see, and what comes up to you for effective solutions?
I think Robbie brought up a very down to the earth and a very practical perspective to it in his answer, there is a very touching example of an Ukrainian family yearning to be simply heard and understood...



Q: Have you faced a challenging situation? What has kept you grounded in those times?



Q: How do you sustain yourself doing what you do?



Q: What can Service Space do for you?

 
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The call reinforced the idea of being open to possibilities. A lot of those come from interacting with different kinds of people. It’s also a one more reminder about having compassion when dealing with people. I saw yet another example of how empathy helps plant seeds for healthy conversations and relationships.

Robbie’s one sentence is etched in my heart after this call, “Stranger is a beautiful word.”

It is my inspiration to let my guard down and embrace all with an open heart.  
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