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
Out-neutral / Observation url
General-3
- It’s as pure as the driven snow.
- Two wrongs don’t make a right.
- Some things never change.
- What you see is what you get.
- It takes one to know one.
- That’s par for the course.
- You see one, you’ve seen them all.
- What goes around, comes around.
- They’re a dime a dozen.
General-3
Out-negative / Annoyed url
You are hurting me
- You used me.
- You’re treating me like I’m low man on the totem pole.
- You’re causing me great pain.
- I don’t like to be played for a sucker.
- You make my life miserable.
- You’re a thorn in my side.
- Don’t give me the cold shoulder.
- This is beginning to wear on me.
- You make me feel like two cents.
- Don’t brush me off.
- Don’t patronize me.
- Don’t push your luck.
- You’re such a pain in the neck.
- That hit me below the belt.
- What am I, chopped liver?
- Stop nickel and diming me.
- That’s what really burns me up.
You are hurting me
In-negative / Doubt url
Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet
- It’s too high a price to pay.
- What gave you that idea?
- I just can’t picture it.
- You can’t believe everything you read.
- Boy, do you bounce from one extreme to another.
- I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re wasting your time.
- I’m sure you will, but I don’t give it much of a chance of success.
- The odds are against it.
- Where have I heard all of this before?
- I hope you know what you’re doing.
- You’ve got to take it with a grain of salt.
Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet
In-positive / Realizing url
Hearing that a company went bankrupt
- That was patently obvious to anyone who gave it more than two seconds of thought.
- The secret is out.
- There’s been trouble brewing for a long time.
- I saw it right off the bat.
- Another one bites the dust.
- From what I understand, this is what really happened.
- The fact is I’ve been expecting that to happen all along.
- In the end, what do they have to show for it?
- Seeing is believing.
- I had a hunch that that’s what was happening.
- We should have seen it coming.
- I’m well aware of it, but I denied it to myself.
- It’s the same old problem all over again.
- That’s it in a nutshell.
Hearing that a company went bankrupt
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who didn’t get the promotion he wanted
- You’ll be ok.
- If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
- You put up a good front.
- You’ve done all you can.
- It’s not the end of the line.
- You gave it your best shot.
- It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
- Don’t take it personally.
- I’m sure that thing’s will work out in the long run.
- Apparently it just wasn’t meant to be.
- The race doesn’t always go to the swift, but to those who keep on running.
- These things happen to the best of us.
- It happened through no fault of your own.
For a friend who didn’t get the promotion he wanted
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
Out-neutral / Advice url
Action-3
- You best be on your way.
- Play it till the hilt.
- Your choice is clear.
- You can sink or swim.
- Don’t hold yourself back.
- You’ve got nothing to lose.
- Why don’t you give it a try?
- The early bird catches the worm.
- Try and patch things up.
- Set your sights high.
- Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Action-3
Out-negative / Anger url
You disgust me
- What you did really turns my stomach.
- You make me sick!
- You’re one of nature’s greatest disasters.
- I’m not even going to honor your insulting comment with a reply.
- You’re a wise guy.
- You’re more trouble than your worth.
- You really get on my nerves.
You disgust me
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
I will win
- I got you right where I want you.
- It’s my way or the highway.
- Finders keeper losers weepers.
- Eat your heart out.
- The last laugh will be on you.
- I read you like a book.
- I’ve got the upper hand.
- My, my, my, said the spider to the fly.
I will win
In-negative / Explaining url
After investing in worthless land
- I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
- I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
- I should have known.
- It seemed like the right to do thing at the time.
- It took me totally by surprise.
- I was talked into it.
- The thought that this would be such a bad decision never crossed my mind.
- There’s not a whole lot I can do about it at this point.
- That never would have dawned on me.
- I didn’t see it coming.
- In theory that was how it was supposed to play out, but in actuality that’s not what happened.
- How was I supposed to know that?
- It beats me how that could have happened.
- It was an honest mistake.
- It could happen to anyone.
- I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way I expected them to.
- I found out the hard way.
- The thought never even crossed my mind.
- That was something I wasn’t even aware of.
- Frankly, it’s just not something I could have anticipated.
- That’s something I just didn’t count on.
- They really took me to the cleaners.
- I must admit, from the beginning the whole thing wasn’t clear to me, and went way over my head.
- I was a sitting duck.
- I was being penny wise and pound foolish.
After investing in worthless land
In-negative / Doubt url
To friend who claims he knows how to win the lottery
- The chances of that happening are pretty close to zero.
- How do you figure that?
- You don’t say?
- Don’t count on it.
- You can’t mean that.
- It doesn’t work that way.
- That’s what they all say.
- How can you be so cock-sure of yourself?
- It’s all in your head.
- It’s not very likely to happen that way.
- It’s about time you started being realistic.
- Wake up and smell the coffee.
To friend who claims he knows how to win the lottery