In-negative / Doubt url
Being told a ‘foolproof’ way to not tell the truth on taxes
- It’s a prescription for disaster.
- What good would that be?
- How would that help?
- I don’t think that’s such a good idea.
- What’s the point?
- It won’t last for long before it blows up.
- Does that make sense to you?
- I doubt that very much.
- True to form, you’re up to your old tricks.
- I should have expected you to come up with a hare-brained idea like that.
- Do the ends justify the means?
- No, no, that won’t do at all.
- You’ve got another guess coming.
- The idea just smells, because honesty is the best policy.
- I’m going to look the other way, and pretend I didn’t hear that.
- I imagine you would, but don’t expect me to get caught up in your shenanigans.
Being told a ‘foolproof’ way to not tell the truth on taxes
Out-neutral / Advice url
Honesty
- The ends don’t justify the means.
- Tell it like it is.
- Keep it clean.
- You should set a good example.
- Honesty is the best policy.
- You can’t go wrong by being straight.
- Be a straight-shooter.
Honesty
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who is recovering from an illness
- Now that’s more like it.
- I’m glad to see that you’re doing alright.
- Be patient with your recovery.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day.
- You don’t look any worse for wear or tear.
- You’re near and dear to our hearts.
- You’re doing what you can, and that’s all that there is to it.
- The way you’re handing this challenging situation is to your credit.
- It'll be over before you know it.
For a friend who is recovering from an illness
In-negative / Desperation url
Lost in the forest
- I’ve run out of steam.
- The situation is so grim.
- The situation was so dangerous that I thought it was curtains.
- I’m worried to death.
- I can’t cope with it.
- I’m scared to death.
- Time is running out.
- It’s all a nightmare.
- I’m never going to make it.
- I’m reaching the end of my rope.
- I was up the creek without a paddle.
Lost in the forest
In-neutral / Caution url
Thinking of entering an abandoned house
- I’m not running so fast to go there.
- It just doesn’t sit right with me.
- In my opinion I’ll be lucky if I survive by the skin of my teeth.
- I sense that this might be something I might live to regret.
- I’m going to take one step at a time.
- Something undesirable could happen at any time at the drop of the hat.
- I think I’ve gotten about as far as I’m going to get.
- I’m on the look-out.
- Hold your horses.
- I can’t chance it.
- Are you crazy, why on earth would I ever try to do something like that?
Thinking of entering an abandoned house
Out-neutral / Observation url
General-2
- Now you see it now you don’t.
- Who knows what evil lurk in the minds of men?
- One thing leads to another.
- It’s not all fun and games.
- The tree grows as the twig is bent.
- It’s a drop in the bucket.
- It’s happened once and it will happen again.
- It’s not always so cut and dry.
- You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them.
- Some people never learn.
General-2
Out-neutral / Observation url
About Others - Negative-1
- He’s got egg all over his face.
- It will be on his head.
- He’s given her every chance.
- She’s taking her own sweet time.
- She’s a bundle of nerves.
- He’ll see red.
- The odds are against them.
- She dumped him like a hot potato.
- She’s in a state of shock.
- It’s hard not to feel sorry for him.
- He’s making life miserable for himself.
- He’s got a few under his belt.
- Who in their right mind would do something like that?
- They sound like a bunch of bozos.
About Others - Negative-1
In-positive / Determination url
Director of a Broadway musical
- This is one of the most important things we’ve ever done.
- Let’s get going without delay!
- Give me a half of chance, and I’ll show you what I can accomplish.
- Let’s get the ball rolling.
- Let’s get the show on the road.
- The show must go on.
Director of a Broadway musical
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-positive / Agreement url
If parents hugged their kids more, the kids would feel more loved.
- You hit the nail on the head.
- That goes without saying.
- Now that’s a very good idea.
- That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to say.
- Now you’re talking!
- That could very well be.
- You might say that.
- I’m inclined to agree with your way of looking at things.
- I bet you’re right.
- That’s the truest thing you ever said.
- That’s hard to beat.
If parents hugged their kids more, the kids would feel more loved.
Out-neutral / Advice url
Perspective-2
- You got to remember that.
- Truth is stranger than fiction.
- Things are not always what they seem.
- The whole is sometimes bigger than the sum of its parts.
- Take stock of your future.
- Try to put yourself in his shoes.
- Don’t take things for granted.
- Saying and doing are entirely different things.
- Live each day as if it were the last.
- Today is all you have.
- You can’t generalize, every situation is different.
Perspective-2
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s work things out-1
- Meet me half way.
- Be a good sport.
- I don’t want to cause friction between us.
- No hard feelings, OK?
- Don’t take it personally.
- Let’s get that out of the way.
- That shouldn’t be a problem.
- If that’s what you want.
- If you say so.
- I think that might be in order.
- Let’s call it a truce.
- Let’s agree to disagree.
Let’s work things out-1