Over the years working in rural communities, disaster zones, and with people doing it tough, I’ve learned one simple truth: talking changes everything.
Not the type of talking that fills space or ticks a box—I’m talking about real conversations. Honest ones. The kind that happen when someone picks up the phone, checks in, and says, “How are you really going?”
In today’s world, where we’re more connected than ever digitally, we’re actually talking less—and feeling it more. Isolation is creeping in. Loneliness is on the rise. And it’s costing us, not just emotionally, but physically too.
Science backs it up. The American Psychological Association tells us that meaningful conversations boost well-being and happiness. Not just small talk, but genuine connection. Just one proper conversation a day can shift someone’s mental health. (APA article)
Psychology Today goes further, saying communication is key to every relationship, to handling stress, to feeling understood. It’s how we make sense of our lives—and how we help others do the same. (Psychology Today)
This isn’t new. Leaders, thinkers, and changemakers have known it for decades. Sheryl Sandberg opened up in a powerful TED talk about grief and resilience—showing how talking through pain helped her find her footing after losing her husband. Nina Legath, in this talk, reminds us communication is the tool we all have to change outcomes—in business and in life. And Victoria Ball’s reflections on “The Power of Talking” hit home for anyone who’s ever felt silenced or overlooked.
We’ve seen this in our own communities. One honest phone call—one check-in—can stop someone from spiralling. One open chat can be the beginning of healing. That’s the heart of the CallFour movement: pick up the phone, call four people a week, and make real conversation the norm again.
And there’s more than anecdote. The team at Psychreg outlines how talking out loud helps us process, reframe, and release the thoughts that build up inside. It helps us get unstuck.
Some of the world’s most powerful communicators have one thing in common: they speak with authenticity. Brené Brown, for example, has built a global following simply by speaking plainly about shame, vulnerability, and the courage to be real. Her ability to connect comes not from having all the answers, but from being willing to ask the hard questions and sit in the discomfort of honesty. That kind of talking works because people can feel when it’s true.
Barack Obama is another example. Whether you agree with his politics or not, most people would agree he’s one of the great communicators of our time. Why? Because he listens as much as he speaks. He pauses. He explains. He talks to people, not at them. His speeches resonate because they are crafted with empathy and delivered with calm conviction.
Closer to home, someone like Rosie Batty stands out. After the unimaginable tragedy of losing her son, she used her voice to shine a light on domestic violence. Her words carried weight not just because of her story, but because of her courage to keep talking when it would’ve been easier to go quiet. Talking became her tool for change—and in doing so, she helped change laws and save lives.
So yes—talking matters. It’s how we connect. It’s how we care. It’s how we remind people they’re not alone in this world.
I’ve seen the power of a simple phone call change lives. I’ve seen it save them. That’s why I’ll keep talking about talking—because it’s not just conversation. It’s connection. It’s action. And it’s something every single one of us can do, today.
Let’s start now.