I hate small talk so much I'm isolating myself. Here's my situation: [describe your aversion, what you do instead, social situations avoided, and the cost of avoidance]. Identify my small talk hatred: is it the superficiality, the performance, the energy drain, the pointlessness, the repetitiveness, or something else? Map where it shows up: networking events, parties, family gatherings, dating, work, neighbors, or anywhere I might have to engage. Then decode the resistance: what am I actually resisting? (Connection? Performance? Being known? Small talk as a gateway to real talk? The energy it takes? The inauthenticity?). Recognize the belief: "Small talk is meaningless" (maybe, or maybe it's social lubricant), "I should only have deep conversations" (great goal, impossible reality), "Small talk is beneath me" (this is judgment), or "I'm not good at it so I avoid it" (avoidance breeds more avoidance). Analyze the cost: social isolation, missed opportunities (jobs, friendships, connections), awkwardness in necessary situations, and inability to build relationships (they often start with small talk). Identify the truth: small talk is a tool not a torture; it's how humans ease into real talk; most people aren't comfortable diving deep immediately; it serves a purpose even if I don't like it. Create the small talk strategy: the reframe (it's relationship building not meaningless), the question bank (interesting questions that go beyond weather), the redirect skill (steering from small to meaningful), the small talk tolerance (I can do 5 minutes before depth), the authentic small talk (showing genuine interest even in "boring" topics), and the social skill building (practicing until it's less painful). Include: what I'm afraid of if I engage in small talk, whether my aversion is protecting me or isolating me, and if I can build the connections I want while avoiding the entry point most people use.