In-negative / Confusion url
Lost in an unfamiliar city
- This is driving me batty.
- What can I do?
- I don’t know what else to do.
- Where do we go from here?
- I don’t know, what do you want to do?
- I can’t figure it out.
- I’m going to need a while to get my bearings.
- I feel like a fish out of water.
- It’s driving me nuts.
Lost in an unfamiliar city
In-negative / Confusion url
Being a victim of a robbery
- I haven’t the faintest idea what happened.
- OK, now what do I do?
- I don’t know what to say.
- It’s hard to believe.
- I feel totally disoriented.
- I'm shell-shocked.
- What happened is weird, and can’t be explained so easily.
- This really messed up my schedule, but I’ll do what I can to get back to a semblance of normalcy.
- What was that all about?
- Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
- How did that happen?
Being a victim of a robbery
In-positive / Determination url
Therapist with patient
- Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
- This is an opportunity of a lifetime.
- I’m going to tell it to you straight, even if it means bursting your balloon.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day.
- There’s nothing that we can’t do if we put our minds to it.
- Let’s not give up before we start.
- There are so many false starts, but it’s important that we don’t give up hope.
- There’s more than one way to skin a cat.
- It doesn’t have to be that way.
- Unfortunately we often have to learn the hard way.
- Let’s start tying up loose ends.
- All beginnings are hard.
- Often just when we think it will be clear sailing from here on in, POW – something unexpected comes from out of the blue to blow our well laid plans to smithereens, and suddenly it’s back to the drawing board, forcing us to rethink the whole thing through from start to finish, from soup to nuts.
Therapist with patient
In-neutral / Caution url
Remembering being lost in the woods
- The memory makes my skin crawl.
- That was a hair raising experience.
- For a while it was touch and go.
- It all came down to the wire.
- I was in trouble up to my ears.
- It was the moment of truth.
- It kind of snuck up on me.
- Just the memory sends a chill up and down my spine.
- There’s a big difference between what I expected and what actually happened.
- There was no easy way out.
- It seemed like an eternity.
- I wasn't counting on it happening the way it did.
- The way it turned out was totally unexpected.
Remembering being lost in the woods
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
We are adversaries
- It’s every man for himself.
- Let’s face it, we’re on opposite sides of the fence.
- I’m not willing to wait.
- I beg to differ with you.
- You give me no choice.
- It’s a dog eat dog world.
- I’m just acting in my own best interest, and I expect you to do the same.
- May the best man win!
- That goes both ways.
- That’s for me to know and you to find out.
- I’m ready to play hardball.
- Take it or leave it.
- Don’t ask me any questions and I won’t tell you any lies.
- I’m dead set against it.
- I need the whole kit and caboodle.
- All’s fair in love and war.
We are adversaries
In-negative / Disappointment url
Employee feeling unappreciated
- I worked so hard for them, and all I got was a measly pat on the back.
- I feel so un-appreciated.
- I feel like I’m being exploited, but there doesn’t seem to be too much I can do to stop it.
- It’s the same old thing all over again.
- I feel like I’ve really been through the mill.
- I expected more.
- I think I deserve to be treated better.
- I’m not a happy camper.
Employee feeling unappreciated
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Being offered a job
- Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.
- It’s better late than never.
- I’ll buy that.
- All’s well that ends well.
- If the shoes fits wear it.
- That works out best all around.
Being offered a job
Out-positive / Friendship url
Saying goodbye-2
- Talk to you later.
- Let’s call it a day.
- I really have to run.
- See you in a bit.
- I’d best be on my way.
- Have a safe journey.
- Have a nice time.
- Give me a ring.
- Let’s call it a night.
- Let’s keep in touch.
- Good night, sleep tight.
- I’m already looking forward to seeing you the next time we meet.
- Take care.
- I better let you go.
- It was wonderful meeting you.
- Have a good trip.
Saying goodbye-2
Out-neutral / Advice url
Perspective-1
- You don’t know what’s in another person’s head until you’re standing in his shoes.
- It shouldn’t be taken lightly.
- You had it right the first time.
- Would that be the worst thing in the world?
- There’s nothing new under the sun.
- We’ve got our whole life ahead of us.
- See what a difference it makes?
- That’s all that matters.
- Don’t give it a second thought.
- There are exceptions to every rule.
- If you want my two cents, here is how I see it.
Perspective-1
Out-positive / Agreement url
Would you like to take another laptop similar to the one I gave you last time?
- I’ll give it a try.
- That's certainly fine with me.
- That would be perfect.
- That would be a win-win situation.
- I'd be glad to take it off your hands.
- I’ll take anything you have to offer.
- Of course I wouldn't mind.
- How could I forget how well it worked out last time.
- I’ll be glad to.
- I certainly will.
- You know it.
- If you don't need it, it's like one hand washing the other.
Would you like to take another laptop similar to the one I gave you last time?
Out-positive / Encouragement url
To a friend who just scored the winning shot of a basketball game
- I think you’ve been doing your homework.
- You’ve done it again.
- You saved the day.
- I’ve really got to hand it to you.
- That’s my man.
- You’ve got the magic touch.
- It’s your lucky day.
- Your timing was perfect.
- The opportunity landed in your lap, and you made the most of it.
- Way to go!
- Attaboy!
To a friend who just scored the winning shot of a basketball game
Out-neutral / Advice url
Patience-1
- You’ve got to just let it pass.
- Give it time.
- I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
- It’s never too late.
- Don’t jump the gun.
- Things come to those who wait.
- Don’t jump to any conclusions.
- My advice is to stay under the radar.
Patience-1