To add to the others comments about small talk. A big blocker to being able to small talk is self-centeredness / self-consciousness. A lot of people think that

To add to the others comments about small talk. A big blocker to being able to small talk is self-centeredness / self-consciousness. A lot of people think that if they say something to someone they will be evaluated and that's almost never the case. Unless you look homeless or like you are selling something, and unless the other person is mentally ill, they will welcome you speaking to them. And then in terms of content, jokes, questions, and observations work well. For example, if someone's with a small kid, I'll ask how old the kid is. If someone's driving a family SUV (something I know about from having shopped for one last year) I'll ask how they like it. Or just comment - I like your cars, actually considered it last year. Make a joke, even a lame one. Long line at the coffee shop? "Wow I need a coffee just to get a coffee here!" Or even dumb stuff like "that's a huge menu, I don't see coffee on it" Etc. The main thing is - if you are coming from a place of being human, it will come across as such. Content matters less.