"Lovely day, isn't it?" The big benefits of small talk

How's your day been? Any plans for the weekend? What do you do for work?

Small talk might feel trivial, but in her new book Once Upon A Stranger, professor in the psychology of kindness Gillian Sandstrom says these tiny exchanges can help us live a kinder, more connected life.

So how can we overcome the awkward, and get a little more chit chat into our lives?