Out-positive / Concern url
To a friend who is very depressed
- Don’t go bonkers on me.
- What’s wrong now?
- What’s on your mind?
- I hate seeing you like this.
- You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
- What are you so edgy about?
- Has the cat got your tongue?
- It’s good for you to get out once in a while.
- It seems as if you don’t know whether you’re coming or going.
- I’ll do anything I can.
- How can I ease your burden?
- I won’t be judgmental.
- I'm on your side.
- What’s come over you?
- Perhaps there are some things that I can take off your hands.
- Take things one day at a time.
- There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
- Take each day as it comes.
- Always know that I’m here for you.
- Sometimes it’s darkest just before the dawn.
- Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
- Pull yourself together.
- Hold on tight, it will be alright.
To a friend who is very depressed
Out-negative / Annoyed url
Stop hurting me
- Don’t put me down.
- I didn’t come here to be put down.
- Why are you giving me such a hard time?
- What do you have against me?
- You are driving me up the wall.
- I’ve had just about enough of this.
- What am I going to do with you?
- What kind fool do you take me for?
- Go find another sucker.
Stop hurting me
In-positive / Relief url
Surviving after being lost in the desert for 3 days.
- I was on my last legs, and I didn’t think I could hold out much longer, when I was miraculously saved in the nick of time.
- I got through by the skin of my teeth.
- I don’t know how I did it.
- I got in just under the wire.
- At the end if was touch and go, and I was wondering if I was going to make it.
- Home, sweet, home.
- Things are finally getting back to normal.
- I was on my last legs.
Surviving after being lost in the desert for 3 days.
Out-positive / Friendship url
Secretive
- I told you all I can tell you.
- You can trust me, I won’t breathe a word about it to anyone, and it won’t go beyond here.
- Remember, not a word about this to anyone.
- I won’t tell a soul.
- A little birdie told me.
- That’s just between us.
- I’ll let you in on a secret.
- Keep it to yourself.
- Your secret is safe with me.
Secretive
Out-neutral / Advice url
Prepare
- You’ve got to plan for emergencies.
- Once the cat is out of the bag, anything can happen.
- You have to get ready for the possibility that afterwards your feelings may change.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Expect the unexpected.
- Be prepared for the worst.
- Did you take that into account?
Prepare
In-negative / Desperation url
House flooded by hurricane
- I feel like my whole world is slowly coming apart at the seams.
- It’s even worse than I thought.
- I can’t stand it anymore.
- I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
- Take me away from here.
- Why does everything always happen to me?
- Wake me when it’s over.
- When it rains it pours.
- What's the use?
- That was the straw that broke the camels back.
- It really threw me for a loop.
House flooded by hurricane
In-negative / Explaining url
Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake
- How was I supposed to know?
- What did I do this time?
- That never would have occurred to me.
- I wish I had known.
- I had no way of knowing.
- OK, I’m not perfect.
- I apologize profusely.
- It was totally unintentional.
- There’s nothing I can do about it now.
- My humble apologies.
- Sorry about that.
- If I knew what I was doing, I certainly wouldn’t have done it.
- I certainly didn’t do it on purpose.
- They looked so similar that I had no way of knowing.
- It came as a surprise to me.
- I’m awfully sorry.
- How was I supposed to know that?
Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
- There’s nothing to be afraid of.
- You have nothing to worry about.
- Don’t sell yourself short.
- What’s holding you back?
- What could go wrong?
- Your fears are your worst enemy.
- I'm sure they're going to appreciate your trying.
- You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
- At the very worst, they won't use your idea, but it’s certainly not going to hurt anything.
- What's the downside?
- Grab the brass ring.
- Maybe they’ll take you up on it.
- What’s the worst case scenario?
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- No pain, no gain.
- Speak up and make yourself heard.
- You don’t have to sell yourself to me, screw up your courage and say what you have to say to the powers that be.
- Just remind yourself that speaking up is not a bad choice, mind you.
- Don’t worry, they’ll understand.
- They’re on the up and up, and they’re not going to pull any punches.
- You need to stand up for yourself.
- I think you should jump at the opportunity.
- It never hurts to ask.
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
In-positive / Determination url
Husband and wife trying to work things out
- This a golden opportunity.
- Let’s take care of this right now.
- Time to switch gears.
- We’ve put it off long enough.
- Let’s see what we can do about it.
- Let’s start the ball rolling.
- Where there’s a will there’s a way.
- Onwards and upwards.
- We still have a long way to go.
- There’s one way to find out.
- I think the time has come for us to turn over a new leaf.
- Let’s give it our best shot.
- First things first.
- There's nothing that we can't do.
- We can work it out.
- There's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
- Give me space, I need a little bit more breathing room.
- Let's give it time.
- Where does that leave us?
- We need to make up for lost time.
- If we're really open and honest with each other, and both speak from the heart, without being afraid or defensive, perhaps we can really bring out into the open any issues that are bothering us, and get to the bottom of what's getting in the way of our getting closer.
Husband and wife trying to work things out
In-positive / Confidence url
After an appendix operation
- I feel like a new man.
- I know I’m on the road to recovery.
- I feel better than ever.
- Don’t worry about me.
- I’ll be fine.
- I get by with a little help from my friends.
- I’m not out of the woods yet, but I’m fully confident that I will be in no time at all.
- I’m patient and hopeful that it will all be for the best.
- I should be alright.
- It didn't make any sense not to do it.
After an appendix operation
In-negative / Desperation url
Working 3 jobs to make ends meet
- I can’t take it anymore.
- I’ve reached the bottom of the barrel.
- I’ve been so busy lately that I’m running myself ragged.
- I’m going to lose my mind.
- The harder I try the worse everything gets.
- I feel so inadequate.
- I feel like I’m busting at the seams.
- I just seem to be spinning my wheels, without getting anything accomplished.
- Life’s not a picnic.
- I’ve been working my fingers to the bone.
- I’ve been in the same old rut as long as I can remember.
- How much more of this do you think I can take?
- I feel weighed down by my problems, and by life in general.
- I’m running on empty.
Working 3 jobs to make ends meet
In-positive / Relief url
Getting a clean bill of health from the doctor after a major health concern
- When I saw the results, it was a sight for sore eyes.
- What a relief!
- I’m so grateful that it was only a false alarm We can breathe a sigh of relief.
- That’s what we’ve been waiting for.
- It took a bit of time, but it was certainly worth the wait.
- It was a blessedly short time before I heard the good news.
- I thank my lucky stars.
Getting a clean bill of health from the doctor after a major health concern