this is a collection of phrases i’ve found useful to have available in a variety of social contexts:
“you may have already considered this, but just in case you haven’t…”
“is there anything else you’d like to talk about while we’re still talking?”
“could you ask a specific question?”
“thank you for these messages, i will respond when I can do so with the care they deserve”
“no worries if you’re not interested, but do let me know a clear yes or no within a few days so the ball is back in my court to find someone else.” (via Malcolm)
“i’d love to hear more about that if you felt like sharing it”
“i would genuinely love to do that, but i’m afraid i would be overextending myself to say yes! thank you for thinking of me, anyway!”
“no feedback, advice, or coaching, please” (via Rachel)
to pick up an older conversation that’s gone stale:
“i enjoyed our conversation a while ago about x, here’s what’s happening now with x”
“have you considered [idea]?”
“i’ve considered it but decided against it for now, could explain why verbally sometime! thanks for thinking of it!”
“let me know if i’m telling u something u already know”
“i refuse to play this game” (via @Jeanvaljean689)
“i would like to receive ur help in ways that feel good for u”
“i’m not sure what to say to that”
“i’m under the impression that… is that true?”
“can U ask that question in a different way?”
“i understand Ur criticism, but I did it on purpose” (via @JMoffattWrites, unyanizedcatboys on Tumblr)
“i’m having difficulty articulating and explaining what’s important to me here, but it’s no less valid or significant because of that”
“to the extent it is joyful for u it would be much appreciated. to the extent it is burdensome think nothing of it”
“what do you think?” (via @RichDecibels)
If U enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my newsletter, my YouTube channel, or following me on Twitter to get updates on my new blog posts and current projects. U can also support my work with The Service Guild on Patreon.
