Out-neutral / Advice url
Examine-1
- You can’t bury your head in the sand.
- Keep track of it.
- Keep it in perspective.
- Don’t blow it out of proportion.
- Keep your eye on the ball, and don’t get distracted.
- Life is never black and white.
- Stay focused, keep your eye on the ball, and don’t let your mind wander.
- I think your mind is playing tricks on you.
- I'll let you be the judge.
Examine-1
In-negative / Doubt url
After wife suggests to husband that he run for Mayor
- How am I going to pull that off?
- That’s easier said than done.
- I’m not so sure.
- It sounds like it’s nothing more than a pipe-dream.
- Hey, you never know.
- What are we waiting for?
- I’m having second thoughts about it.
- I think you have more confidence in me than I have in myself.
- I don’t even know if it’s worth the effort.
- It’s a nice idea, but what are the odds of it succeeding?
- I don’t know if I’m up for it.
- What do you think the odds are of it succeeding?
- I appreciate your vote of confidence, but do you think it’s worth a try?
- We have to be realistic about it.
- I have my doubts.
- Should I give your suggestion the benefit of the doubt?
- Are you pulling my leg?
After wife suggests to husband that he run for Mayor
In-positive / Confidence url
Looking for something
- Something will turn up.
- We’re on the right track.
- It was exactly where I thought it would be.
- Something’s going to turn up.
- If we’re patient and methodical, I’m sure this will have a happy ending.
Looking for something
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
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
In-positive / Remembering url
Meeting a friend from childhood
- Those were the good old days.
- Just for old time’s sake.
- There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since we saw each other last.
- It’s been a long time.
- I feel just like I was a little kid again.
- We go back a long way.
- From time to time I remember the good old days, the way things used to be.
- Our friendship goes back for as long as I can remember.
- I remember you from way back when, and you haven’t changed a bit.
Meeting a friend from childhood
Out-neutral / Observation url
About Others – Positive-2
- She has a way with words.
- She stands out in a crowd.
- He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
- He’s out of the woods.
- She lights up the room.
- Those two stick together like glue.
- He’s cool, calm and collected.
- It’s a match made in heaven.
- She lends on air of dignity to wherever she goes.
- He’s one slick operation.
- He’s sharp as a tack.
- He’s the greatest.
- He went to bat for us.
- He’s taking it very well.
- He’s as straight as an arrow.
- He’s a mover and a shaker.
About Others – Positive-2
Out-positive / Friendship url
Happy for you
- I’m glad to hear it.
- I’m so happy for you.
- I’m really happy to hear it.
- Isn’t that nice.
- That’s wonderful news!
- Your bringing me up to date really makes my day.
Happy for you
In-negative / Explaining url
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
- What did you expect me to do?
- That’s not my style.
- Why should I take the risk?
- I do what I have to do.
- I’m doing it just to be on the safe side.
- It’s taking all my will power to resist.
- I was holding on by a thread.
- I think it's the best thing to do.
- My hands are tied.
- It’s out of my hands.
- I’m conflicted about it.
- I shudder when I think of the downside of doing this.
- I’d rather play it safe.
- It's the right thing to do.
- I just can’t take the chance.
- The risks far outweigh the benefits.
- The way I look at it, I really don’t have much of a choice.
- I can’t see myself doing that.
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
Out-positive / Encouragement url
To a student who just solved a difficult math problem
- That’s a brilliant deduction.
- You’re as smart as a whip.
- You’re really catching on.
- That’s a step in the right direction.
- You’ve got that down pat.
- Nobody can do it better.
- You should be proud of yourself.
- You’re a pretty smart cookie.
- I’ll be happy/glad to write a letter of recommendation for you.
To a student who just solved a difficult math problem
In-negative / Explaining url
Waking up after being drunk
- When I woke up I was so disoriented that at first I couldn’t remember where I was.
- I don’t know what to tell you.
- I’m wiped out.
- My head is pounding.
- I feel totally depleted.
- I went into a tailspin.
- I’m going to take a short walk outside just to clear my head.
- I was caught red-handed.
- I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
- The bottom line is that I just couldn’t help it.
- Don’t remind me.
- I feel like I’ve been dragging myself around all day.
- I need more shut-eye.
- It knocked the wind knocked out of me.
Waking up after being drunk
Out-neutral / Advice url
Examine-2
- Get both sides of the story.
- There’s more to it than that.
- There’s more to it that meets the eye.
- Take note of it.
- Get to the root of the problem.
- Keep your eyes peeled.
- You’ll see.
- A picture is worth a thousand words
Examine-2