Total Phrases- 4535
1 of 402

Out-positive / Encouragement url

For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss

  1. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
  2. You have nothing to worry about.
  3. Don’t sell yourself short.
  4. What’s holding you back?
  5. What could go wrong?
  6. Your fears are your worst enemy.
  7. I'm sure they're going to appreciate your trying.
  8. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
  9. At the very worst, they won't use your idea, but it’s certainly not going to hurt anything.
  10. What's the downside?
  11. Grab the brass ring.
  12. Maybe they’ll take you up on it.
  13. What’s the worst case scenario?
  14. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
  15. No pain, no gain.
  16. Speak up and make yourself heard.
  17. 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.
  18. Just remind yourself that speaking up is not a bad choice, mind you.
  19. Don’t worry, they’ll understand.
  20. They’re on the up and up, and they’re not going to pull any punches.
  21. You need to stand up for yourself.
  22. I think you should jump at the opportunity.
  23. It never hurts to ask.

For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss

Out-positive / Encouragement
2 of 402

In-negative / Confusion url

Lost in a forest

  1. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
  2. Do you think that we’re getting anywhere?
  3. What am I supposed to do?
  4. I can’t figure out what’s going on, and I feel like I’m shooting in the dark.
  5. How am I going to pull this off?
  6. I’m on a wild goose chase.
  7. What are we going to do now?
  8. So now what do I do?
  9. What’s going on?
  10. I don’t know what I’m going to do.

Lost in a forest

In-negative / Confusion
3 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Marathon runner

  1. This is excruciatingly hard, but I’m committed to finishing it until the bitter end.
  2. I do what I have to do.
  3. I was bound and determined to do it.
  4. I’ll never be more ready than I am now.
  5. I’m going for broke.
  6. No rest for the weary.
  7. I’m ready to tough it out.

Marathon runner

In-positive / Determination
4 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Restraint-2

  1. Don’t let the cat out of the bag.
  2. Don’t make matters worse.
  3. Keep it under your hat.
  4. Get a hold of yourself.
  5. Just try not to go overboard doing it, both in terms of time and money.
  6. Get control of yourself.
  7. Button your lip.
  8. Try and get a hold of yourself.
  9. I know that may feel good to speak your mind and get things off your chest, but sometimes it’s better just to bite your tongue.

Restraint-2

Out-neutral / Advice
5 of 402

Out-positive / Friendship url

Stating commitment-2

  1. I’ll be your Rock of Gibraltar.
  2. Till death do us part.
  3. You’re the answer to my dreams.
  4. You mean the world to me.
  5. I’d be lost without you.
  6. What would I do without you?
  7. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.
  8. You’re all that a man/woman could hope for.
  9. Where have you been all my life?
  10. I’m mad about you.
  11. You’re a dream come true.
  12. You take my breath away.

Stating commitment-2

Out-positive / Friendship
6 of 402

In-negative / Doubt url

A skeptical Investor questioning an entrepreneur about startup

  1. When you get right down to it, it seems that there’s more going on than meets the eye.
  2. How can you be so sure of that?
  3. That raises yet another question.
  4. That’s the 64,000 dollar question.
  5. If you re-examine the whole situation, you’ll find that’s not the case at all.
  6. There’s more to it than meets the eye.
  7. You don’t have a shred of evidence.
  8. You don’t know what you’re saying.
  9. You never know how it’s going to turn out.
  10. I have no idea what you’re talking about.
  11. It leaves a lot to be desired.
  12. What you are describing sounds like a pipe-dream.
  13. What are you trying to accomplish?
  14. After what you’ve told me, I’m more skeptical than ever.
  15. That’s just the other side of the same coin.
  16. The bottom line is that, as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to knowing if it's a good decision or not, the jury is still out.
  17. You can take it any way you like.

A skeptical Investor questioning an entrepreneur about startup

In-negative / Doubt
7 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Lighten up

  1. Don’t work so hard.
  2. Do it the easy way.
  3. Lighten up.
  4. Don’t take it so seriously.
  5. Why make things more complicated than they really are?
  6. Take the easy way out.

Lighten up

Out-neutral / Advice
8 of 402

Out-neutral / Observation url

About Others - Negative-1

  1. He’s got egg all over his face.
  2. It will be on his head.
  3. He’s given her every chance.
  4. She’s taking her own sweet time.
  5. She’s a bundle of nerves.
  6. He’ll see red.
  7. The odds are against them.
  8. She dumped him like a hot potato.
  9. She’s in a state of shock.
  10. It’s hard not to feel sorry for him.
  11. He’s making life miserable for himself.
  12. He’s got a few under his belt.
  13. Who in their right mind would do something like that?
  14. They sound like a bunch of bozos.

About Others - Negative-1

Out-neutral / Observation
9 of 402

In-negative / Explaining url

Coming home drunk

  1. I couldn’t help myself.
  2. I guess things got to me.
  3. I did it on the spur of the moment.
  4. My head is spinning.
  5. I’m about to drop.
  6. Unfortunately it’s become my security blanket.
  7. It’s been a rough night.
  8. I feel like a worn out dish rag.
  9. With a little bit of luck things will soon get back to normal.
  10. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
  11. I could use some moral support.
  12. I hate to admit it, but it was beyond my control.
  13. I’ve never had any problems in that area before.
  14. There’s a first time for everything.
  15. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
  16. I'm going through a rough time.

Coming home drunk

In-negative / Explaining
10 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Therapist with patient

  1. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
  2. This is an opportunity of a lifetime.
  3. I’m going to tell it to you straight, even if it means bursting your balloon.
  4. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
  5. There’s nothing that we can’t do if we put our minds to it.
  6. Let’s not give up before we start.
  7. There are so many false starts, but it’s important that we don’t give up hope.
  8. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.
  9. It doesn’t have to be that way.
  10. Unfortunately we often have to learn the hard way.
  11. Let’s start tying up loose ends.
  12. All beginnings are hard.
  13. 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-positive / Determination
11 of 402

In-negative / Doubt url

Being told that a certain penny stock is a sure thing

  1. I have a nagging suspicion that this isn’t on the up and up.
  2. I don’t feel right about it.
  3. I just can’t buy that.
  4. You can’t fool me.
  5. I’ve heard that before.
  6. That’s wishful thinking.
  7. It’s a figment of your imagination.
  8. Whatever gave you that idea?
  9. I wouldn’t be too sure.
  10. It won’t hold water.
  11. I find that very hard to believe.
  12. What are you talking about?
  13. If I did that, it would be against my better judgement.

Being told that a certain penny stock is a sure thing

In-negative / Doubt
12 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Student work on a term-paper

  1. This deserves my total focus and undivided attention.
  2. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it and feel more familiar with the whole topic.
  3. I’ll get it done in no time at all.
  4. I’m going to hit the ground running.
  5. The task I faced was difficult, but I rose to the challenge.
  6. We’re wrapping it up.
  7. There’s no time like the present.
  8. Stay the course.
  9. I really have my work cut out for me.

Student work on a term-paper

In-positive / Determination