* 12 Stress, Anxiety, Excitement (p.6 of 9)
12.23 When a person is too excited
Don’t get excited. Listen <“Don’t get excited. They can back out of the deal at any moment.”>
Don’t get all excited. Listen <“Don’t get all excited. The protocol they signed is not legally binding.”>
Don’t be so hysterical. Listen <“I got promoted!” – “Don’t be so hysterical. Now you have to work more.”>
Don’t lose your cool. Listen A “Don’t lose your nerve.” <“I know you like your new bicycle. Don’t lose your cool, though.>
Don’t blow your cool. Listen <“I’m so glad you won the contest. Whatever happens now, don’t blow your cool.”>
Don’t run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Listen A “Don’t behave erratically.”<“My wife gave birth to a baby boy!” – “Congratulations! Don’t run around like a chicken with its head cut off.”>
Pull yourself together. Listen A “Gain control of your emotions.” <“We had a car accident! I have never experienced anything like that before.” – “Pull yourself together and help your parents to calm down your little sister.”>
Get a grip on yourself. Listen <“To have your first article published is exciting. But this is just a start. Get a grip on yourself. You have a career to make.”>
Restrain yourself. Listen A “Hold back your emotions.” <“Our school team has won the game!” – “Good, I’m glad to hear that. Now, restrain yourself. I know how excited you are.”>
Hold your horses. Listen A “Calm down. Don’t be so excited.” <“Hurry up! Chop, chop! I’m eager to go.” – “Hold your horses. Don’t be in such a rush.”>
12.24 When a person is not sensible
Get real! Listen A “Accept reality!” <“The company you’re working for is going under. You’ve got to start looking for a new job. Get real!”>
Come back to earth. Listen A “Return to real life.” (used with back or down) <“If you drop out of college, you will never get a decent job. You need to learn harder. Don’t be fooled by fairy tales about lucky dropouts. Come back to earth.”>
Snap out of it. Listen A “Get back to reality.” <“You can’t make a living by playing your music. Snap out of it. Get a regular job.”>
12.25 When you want to sound sarcastic about a bad situation
That’s just great! Listen A “A new problem has arisen.” <“On top of all that, my daughter’s white rat gave birth to a dozen little rats. That’s just great!”>
That’s just swell! Listen <“Your brother is calling from Mexico. His friends forgot him in a hotel. He doesn’t have either documents or money.” – “That’s just swell.”>
That’s just what I needed! Listen <“My parrot got out of its cage and sat on a tree in the backyard. Now I have to call firefighters. That’s just what I needed!”>
That’s all I need! Listen <“My car got stalled in the garage, and the garage door broke. That’s all I need!”>
I needed that like a hole in the head. Listen <“Hurry up! Your sister has just called on the phone. It’s an emergency!” – “I needed that like a hole in the head. Has she lost her keys again?”>
Now what? Listen A “And what is happening now after all that has already happened?” <I knocked at the neighbor’s door and heard an angry voice, “Now what?”>
12.26 When you want to encourage a person in a bad situation
You did the best you could. Listen <“In spite of all my efforts, I lost the contest.” – “You did the best you could. Roll with the punches.”>
You did the best that could be expected in the situation. Listen <“What else could I do?” – “You did the best that could be expected in this situation. There was nothing else you could do.”>
You get an A for effort. Listen A “Even though you are not successful, you get a high grade for trying.” <“Every time I ask her for a date, she turns me down.” – “You get an A for effort.”>
The important thing is that you tried. Listen <“I submitted my essay for a literary competition, and failed.” – “The important thing is that you tried. Recognition is hard to gain.”>
You made a noble effort. Listen <“I failed to sail around the world.” – “You made a noble effort. Not so many people have such an achievement under their belt.”>
Better luck next time. Listen A “Next time you will succeed.” <“Our team lost again.” – “Well, better luck next time.”>
Let’s look on the bright side. Listen <“I asked my boss for a raise, and he said no.” – “Let’s look on the bright side. You still have a job. And you can ask him again.”>
Don’t let it get you down. Listen A “Don’t allow the situation to disappoint you.” <“I received another negative response to my application.” – “Don’t let it get you down. Try again later.”>
Don’t give up. Listen A “Don’t admit defeat. Don’t abandon hope.” <“I flunked the test…” – “Give it another try. Don’t give up.”>
Don’t give up without a fight. Listen A “Don’t surrender. Keep fighting.” <“Every time I save enough money to make a down payment on a house, the price of houses increases.” – “Keep trying. Don’t give up without a fight.”>
Don’t give up too easy. Listen A “Don’t surrender too easily.” <“My situation is hopeless… I’m about ready to stop trying.” – “You’re strong. You’ll manage it. Don’t give up too easy.”>
Keep your chin up. Listen A “Hold your chin up. Don’t give up.” <“Since I got fired, I feel like a fish out of water.” – “Keep your chin up. Look for another job.”>
Chin up! Listen <“Things are looking bad for me at work.” – “Chin up! Things will work out for the best.”>
Cheer up! Listen A “Be cheerful. Try to be happy.” <“I’m stressed out financially.” – “Cheer up! You’ll get over it.”>
Keep smiling. Listen A “Have good spirits although the situation is tough.” <“I got fired. My wife left me. What do I do?” – “Keep smiling. It will work out in the end.”>
Things will get better. Listen <“I really can’t take it anymore. Things are getting tough.” – “Things will get better. The best is yet to come.”>
Things will work out. Listen A “Complications will be resolved.” <“I feel so miserable I could cry.” – “Don’t worry. Things will work out.”>
In the end it will all work out. Listen <“I just don’t know if I can go on like that.” – “In the end it will all work out.”>
It’s going to be alright. Listen <“I am a wreck… I don’t know what to do…” – “It’s going to be alright.”>
Everything’s going to be all right. Listen <“My girlfriend has left me. My life is ruined…” – “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be all right.”>
Everything will be fine. Listen <“I feel like I’m stupid. I want to drop out of school.” – “Keep trying. Everything will be fine.”>
Tomorrow is another day. Listen A “Yesterday’s troubles will be forgotten.” <“I asked her out tonight. She turned me down again!” – “Well, tomorrow is another day. Keep after her.”>
Tomorrow it all will be forgotten. Listen <“I’m so mad at my sister! How could she slam me in front of other people?” – “Don’t worry. Tomorrow it all will be forgotten.”>
It’s only up from here. Listen A “From now on, it’s going to be better.” <“I am at the lowest point of my career now.” – “Don’t worry. It’s only up from here.”>
It’s always darkest before dawn. Listen A “It always gets worse before it gets better.” <“The economy is in bad shape now.” – “We’ll see improvements soon. It’s always darkest before dawn.”>
Grin and bear it! Listen A “Smile and endure.” <“My boss is a rude person.” – “Grin and bear it. Try to make friends with him.”>
Grit your teeth. Listen A “Endure.” <“This company is hard to work at. Everybody seems to be jealous of each other.” – “Grit your teeth. Don’t let these people wear you down.”>
Take it in stride. Listen <“My girlfriend dropped me…” – “Well, what can I say? This is life. Take it in stride.”>
Things are never as bad as they seem. Listen A “In reality, your position is better than you might think.” <“It looks like this time I get a job.” – “You see! I told you! Never give up! Things are never as bad as they seem.”>
Stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Listen A “Don’t assume upon yourself more than you can carry.” <“Our project is a real mess.” – “You are not the only one responsible. Stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”>
A king couldn’t have done any better. Listen A “Even a powerful person could not have done it better.” <“That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.” – “I know. A king couldn’t have done any better.”>
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