Out-positive / Concern url
To a friend who just lost a lot of their money in the stock market
- I’m sorry it didn’t pan out.
- I think your nest-egg was your security blanket, and now you’ll just have to pick up the pieces and go on from here.
- This puts you in a terrible position.
- I don’t envy you.
- That’s such a shame.
- You look like you’ve seen a ghost.
- You might have to start over from square one.
- You’ll need all the help that you can get.
- After such an experience, it might turn out that you’ll never be the same.
- You shouldn’t have put all your eggs in one basket.
- It’s written all over your face.
- You’re lucky that it wasn’t much worse than it was.
To a friend who just lost a lot of their money in the stock market
Out-positive / Agreement url
Would you like to go for a walk in the park?
- I’m ready whenever you are.
- That sounds like a great idea.
- Sounds good to me.
- Now is as good a time as any.
- There’s nothing I’d like better.
- Yes indeed.
- All righty!
- Now is as good a time as any.
- I’m ready, willing, and able.
Would you like to go for a walk in the park?
Out-positive / Agreement url
Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?
- The rest is more than enough for me.
- No problem.
- I don’t mind at all.
- That’s fine by me.
- It’s my pleasure.
- Be my guest.
Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?
Out-neutral / Advice url
Flexible
- It’s best just to roll with it punches.
- Now let’s switch gears.
- Don’t get bogged down.
- That’s the way to learn how to do things like that.
- You’re as young as you feel.
- Pick up where you left off.
- Variety is the spice of life.
- When in Rome, do as the Roman’s do.
- Give it another shot.
- What have you got to lose?
- Let's play it by ear.
Flexible
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
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s make peace-2
- Let’s be reasonable.
- Don’t rule it out.
- Let’s not get started on the wrong foot.
- Is that OK with you?
- Nobody is holding a gun to your head.
- Let’s be open with each other.
- There’s no hard feelings between us, OK?
- I’ll make it up to you.
- See, that wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
- I’ve had a change of heart.
Let’s make peace-2
In-positive / Confidence url
While being lost in a forest
- It’s no cause for alarm.
- There’s always a way.
- It won’t be long now.
- We can walk on our own two feet.
- I’m hoping for the best.
- We’ll be alright.
- I’m confident that I can do it by hook or by crook.
- Were in the home stretch.
- Let’s rise to the occasion.
- Keep a stiff upper lip.
- It’s just a rule of thumb that I use in situations like this.
- It’s just a matter of time until we’ll find a way out.
- It should be clear sailing from here on in.
- We’re making progress.
While being lost in a forest
In-positive / Realizing url
The day after a stock market crash
- I may not understand all the details, but I get the general idea and see the big picture.
- I could see it coming a mile away.
- It stands to reason.
- By process of elimination it’s the only answer that makes sense.
- So there you have it.
- I had a hunch we were getting very close to the end.
- We’ve been all through this before, and it’s deja-vu all over again.
- By the time it dawned on us, it was too late.
- It looks like we’re going to have to start from scratch.
- These things just sneak up on you.
- I see this as a wakeup call.
- This really taught me a lesson that I won’t quickly forget.
- I'm going to have to re-examine and think through all of my assumptions.
- It's very sobering.
- It happened when I least suspected it.
- I wonder why I didn't see that coming.
- I turned a blind eye to all the warning signals.
The day after a stock market crash
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s work things out-2
- May I offer a suggestion?
- One hand washes the other.
- That’s why we’re here.
- What do we have to lose?
- One for all and all for one.
- I’m saying this for your ears and your ears only, and I hope it doesn’t go beyond the two of us: mum’s the word.
- No strings attached.
- It’s a two way street.
- That’s no big deal.
- You know very well that I take this very seriously and that I can be trusted to keep under wraps what you just told me in confidence.
- It will all sink in eventually, when this is all behind us.
- We can work it out.
Let’s work things out-2
Out-neutral / Advice url
Hope
- Life is worth living.
- Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Tomorrow is another day.
- Better luck next time.
- Look on the bright side.
- Count your blessings.
- Appreciate it while it lasts.
- Little things mean a lot.
- Things often have a way of just working themselves out.
Hope
In-negative / Explaining url
Trying to fix work-mate’s computer
- I found the problem, but I just need time to fix it.
- I’m a little rusty.
- I’m working on it.
- I've hit a brick wall.
- I tried my best, but I guess that just wasn’t good enough.
- It doesn’t look like I’m making much headway.
- Oh well, it was worth a try.
- It may look simple, but it's really complicated.
- You can’t blame a fellow for trying.
- I’m sorry that it just didn’t work out.
- Back to the drawing board.
- I got more than I bargained for.
- That’s easier said than done.
- It was a shot in the dark.
- That’s what I could do.
- I’m sure you were expecting more from me.
- I’m trying my best.
- That’s the only thing I can think of.
Trying to fix work-mate’s computer
Out-negative / Anger url
Stop what you are doing-2
- Are you trying to start up with me?
- You wouldn’t dare.
- Let that be a warning to you.
- There’s no excuse for that.
- Who do you think I am?
- Hold your horses.
- Don’t you dare do any such thing.
- Haven’t you done enough harm already?
- Don’t make a scene.
- Let’s drop the subject!
- Wait just a cotton picking minute.
- Where do you think you’re going?
- You just can’t help yourself, can you?
- Enough of that.
- OK, enough of this for now.
Stop what you are doing-2