In-neutral / Acceptance url
Not getting into the college that’s the first choice
- Now that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
- I think I’m just have to start getting used to it.
- That’s all there is to it.
- Let’s make the most of it.
- It’s just as well.
- You’ve got to take the good with the bad.
Not getting into the college that’s the first choice
Out-positive / Agreement url
Do you think we’d be healthier if we used the staircase instead of the elevator?
- You couldn’t be more right.
- Of course!
- I bet you’re right.
- It’s worth a try.
- I’m all in.
- I’ll go along with that.
- Now that's a great idea!
- That stands to reason.
- That makes so much more sense.
- You have a good point.
Do you think we’d be healthier if we used the staircase instead of the elevator?
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
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Salesman losing a sale
- It’s back to square one.
- Let the chips fall where they may.
- So much for that.
- It will all come out in the wash.
- What can I tell you?
- It happens to the best of us.
- It’s all in a day’s work.
- Well, that’s the way it goes.
Salesman losing a sale
Out-positive / Friendship url
Offering help-2
- Perhaps I can be of assistance.
- I wish I could do something for you.
- I’ve gone to bat for you.
- Take what you want to your heart’s desire.
- I wish you all the luck in the world.
- I’m doing what’s best for you.
- I thought you’d never ask.
- Don’t ever say I never did anything for you.
- I'm so glad you came over.
- Be sure to let me know if I can help.
- For you, I would do anything.
- I wish you the best of luck.
- I’d be more than happy to help.
Offering help-2
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 / Surprise url
A friend wins a big prize
- That’s a nice surprise.
- It’s like something out of a movie.
- You’re pulling my leg.
- Now how do you like that?
- I was so surprised when it happened.
- Get a load of this.
- Good heavens!
- Well blow me down.
- So what do you know?
A friend wins a big prize
Out-neutral / Advice url
Realistic-1
- Try to be realistic, don’t be fooled by wishful thinking.
- You’re kidding yourself.
- You can only go so far.
- Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
- Life’s not fun and games.
- In my opinion, you’re just fooling yourself.
- I’m just suggesting that you should look at your options again, because in the long run, I think you’re setting yourself up for endless let downs.
- Try to see the situation for what it is, because it’s better if you don’t have to learn that the hard way.
- It’s a question you have to ask yourself.
- You have to be realistic.
- You’re living in a fool’s paradise.
- The reason your ideas are not more successful is that they are all half-baked.
- You’re spending money like it was going out of style.
Realistic-1
Out-neutral / Advice url
Be open-minded about other people
- He’s a cut above.
- I’m sure he’d be glad to do what you want.
- He has a mind of his own.
- She’s a tough cookie, but if you have patience, she’s something worth waiting for.
- I must admit, that even though it may not appear that way at first glance, that there’s a certain logic to what he’s saying.
- Don’t pass judgement.
- Two heads are better than one.
- If you can’t beat them, join them.
- She’s giving you every chance under the sun.
- I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.
Be open-minded about other people
Out-neutral / Advice url
Give to yourself
- Do yourself a favor.
- It will do you a world of good.
- Do your own thing.
- Take a load off your feet.
- Feast your eyes.
- Experience a little, and take a bite out of a life.
- It’s important every day to take time from your busy schedule to make time for yourself.
- Wake up and smell the roses.
- Make sure you have a balanced diet and get enough exercise.
Give to yourself
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-negative / Desperation url
Can’t pay the mortgage
- Things have gotten totally out of hand.
- I’m having trouble making ends meet.
- What am I going to do?
- Sometimes I feel that it's all going to be downhill from here.
- I hope I haven’t blown it.
- Nowadays, it’s hard to make ends meet.
- I’m hanging by a thread.
- If this goes on I’m going to lose my mind.
- I was up all night worrying about it.
- I feel down and out.
- Sometimes I tell myself, ‘Don’t even bother’.
- When I hope that things will get better, I realize: don’t hold your breath.
- I feel like I’m beating a dead horse.
Can’t pay the mortgage