In-negative / Doubt url
To someone who claims that a swamp is great real estate
- That’s going too far.
- That’s not very likely.
- Don’t make me laugh.
- You’ve got to be kidding.
- Do you really believe that?
- I rather doubt it.
- I don’t believe it for one minute.
- Do you expect me to believe that crap?
- That doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of being successful.
- That’s a hare brained idea.
- It’s the same old run-around.
- I don’t buy it.
- It sounds kind of fishy.
- He’s stretching the truth.
- I wouldn’t put it past you.
- Do you expect me to believe that?
- I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.
To someone who claims that a swamp is great real estate
In-negative / Explaining url
After investing in worthless land
- I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
- I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
- I should have known.
- It seemed like the right to do thing at the time.
- It took me totally by surprise.
- I was talked into it.
- The thought that this would be such a bad decision never crossed my mind.
- There’s not a whole lot I can do about it at this point.
- That never would have dawned on me.
- I didn’t see it coming.
- In theory that was how it was supposed to play out, but in actuality that’s not what happened.
- How was I supposed to know that?
- It beats me how that could have happened.
- It was an honest mistake.
- It could happen to anyone.
- I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way I expected them to.
- I found out the hard way.
- The thought never even crossed my mind.
- That was something I wasn’t even aware of.
- Frankly, it’s just not something I could have anticipated.
- That’s something I just didn’t count on.
- They really took me to the cleaners.
- I must admit, from the beginning the whole thing wasn’t clear to me, and went way over my head.
- I was a sitting duck.
- I was being penny wise and pound foolish.
After investing in worthless land
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
Out-negative / Anger url
Stay away from me
- Mind your own business.
- Don’t butt in.
- Will you lay off?
- Don’t start with me.
- Stay out of it and mind your own business.
- I don’t want your two cents worth.
- Keep your hands to yourself.
- Leave me alone.
- It is no business of yours.
- Stop bugging me.
Stay away from me
Out-neutral / Advice url
Strategize-1
- What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
- Save the best for last.
- What you don’t know can hurt you.
- As long as you’re going to take the time to do it, you might as well do it right.
- Too many cooks spoil the broth.
- People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
- The ends don't justify the means.
- Put it to work for you.
- It’s important to just go through proper channels.
- The first step is to take a firm grasp on the situation.
- An elephant never forgets.
- It takes money to make money.
- Money doesn’t grow on trees.
- All is fair in love and war.
- The best way to approach this problem is to use the technique of divide and conquer.
- If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.
- You can’t focus on everything at once.
Strategize-1
Out-positive / Encouragement url
To a fellow worker who was scolded for being late too often
- Between you and me, I think you got off pretty easy this time.
- You put up a good front.
- You and I know that you can do better than that.
- That’s to be expected.
- I’d say you got off easy.
- It’s not earth shattering.
- What did you expect?
- You need to stand up for yourself.
- It happens to the best of us.
- You and I know that you can do better than that.
To a fellow worker who was scolded for being late too often
Out-negative / Annoyed url
You are crazy
- You’re out of your mind.
- Your mind is twisted.
- What do you have, rocks in your head?
- What’s wrong with you?
- You could drive a person insane.
- Are you out of your mind?
- Have you lost your mind?
- You don’t know what you’re saying.
- What’s gotten into you?
- You doesn’t know if you’re coming or going.
- You’ve got some nerve.
- You don’t know what you’re talking about.
- You’re off the wall.
- You’re as crazy as a loon.
- That’s ridiculous.
- How can you justify to yourself what you are doing?
- You should be ashamed of yourself!
- How could you do such a thing?
- Every once in a while you need to be put in your place.
- I don’t see how anybody in their right mind would do something like that.
You are crazy
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who just got an A average
- You passed with flying colors.
- That’s my boy!
- You out-did yourself.
- You did that well.
- All things considered, I think you did a great job, and you should be proud of what you were able to accomplish.
- That’s using your head.
- Nobody can do it better.
- That’s fantastic.
- Kudos to you!
- Your mind is sharp as a tack.
- Your in a class all by yourself.
- You should be proud of yourself.
- That’s a major accomplishment.
- I always knew you had it in you.
For a friend who just got an A average
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
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who’s tied in a final set of a tennis match
- That’s the spirit.
- You’ve got it in the palm of your hand.
- You’ve got what it takes.
- You’ve got to come through, we’re all depending on you.
- We’re all rooting for you.
- Take the bull by the horns.
- You can do it.
- The ball is in your court.
- Give it your best shot.
- Give it the old college try.
- We’re all counting on you.
- It’s all up to you.
- Get a move on it, and strike the iron while it’s hot.
- It’s shaping up to be a moment of truth.
- This is your big chance, don’t blow it.
For a friend who’s tied in a final set of a tennis match
Out-positive / Thanks url
General thanks
- That was real sweet of you.
- You’re a life saver.
- I’m touched by your concern.
- Thank you for the kind words.
- I owe you one.
- Let me make it up to you.
- Thank you for your patience.
- I appreciate the suggestion.
- One good turn deserves another.
- Thanks for letting me know.
- I owe you a great deal.
- You’re always there when I need a friend.
- I couldn’t have done it without you.
- That’s nice of you to say that.
- I just may take you up on that.
- Don’t think for one minute that I wouldn’t do the same for you.
- It’s the thought that counts.
- I would be delighted to accept your generous offer.
- Thanks for giving me the red carpet treatment.
- I feel like this is my home away from home.
- I was as hungry as a bear, and I really appreciate the delicious meal.
- Thanks for the warning.
- What you did was incredibly helpful.
- Thank you for the useful tip.
General thanks
Out-positive / Friendship url
Hot talk
- You’re hot stuff.
- You’re cute as a button.
- You’re a real knock-out.
- Your eyes are as blue as the sky.
- I could hug you to death.
- You’re a sweetie pie.
- I’m going to sweep you off your feet.
Hot talk