Too many people are left wandering through Reddit threads and Quora posts, looking for advice on what to say. Communication is tricky. We all bring our own biases, emotions, and histories to the table.
This site will help you navigate those tricky subjects, allowing you to build healthier and happier relationships.
Talking Points for Life is a library of ready-to-use messages for challenging social situations e.g., How to respond to nosy or inappropriate questions
- Not sure how to tell your best friend she’s not your Maid of Honor? Check out How to tell someone they will not be your Bridesmaid
- Need to draw a boundary? We’ve got you covered: How to set boundaries
- Want to give sympathy to someone who lost a parent? Here’s a good place to start: How to offer comfort/give sympathy
You’re welcome to use these talking points as written or adapt them to your style and voice — whatever works best for you.
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The Whole Catalog
| name | action | keywords | audience | free | complete | status | url |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big List of Pickup Lines | Laugh | ||||||
 | Confront/DefendGive FeedbackConfessExpressMisc | Relationships; Manners; Self-Control | General | COMPLETE | |||
Content-Aware ChatGPT on Any Website | Site Info | You | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | ||||
How to accept a compliment | Thank | Manners | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to accept a job offer | Thank | New Job, Career | Boss | COMPLETE | |||
How to announce a new job | InformPromote | Career, New job | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to announce you're leaving a job | InformDepart | Career, New Job, Resign, Goodbye | Colleague | ||||
How to answer a question you don't know the answer to / How to say you don’t know | Answer | I Don’t Know, Question, Answer | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to answer a question you will never know the answer to | Answer | Questions, Responses, Don’t Know | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to answer impossible questions from kids | Answer | Impossible Questions, Respond, Kids, Answer | Kids | COMPLETE | |||
How to apologize for a damaged product | Apologize | Apology; Business; Professional; Customer Service | Customer/Client | ||||
How to apologize for a delayed reply | Apologize | BossPotential Customer/ClientCustomer/ClientEmployee | |||||
How to apologize for a late payment | Apologize | Owe; Late Payment; Apology | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to apologize for a missed appointment | Apologize | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | ||||
How to apologize for being late | Apologize | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | ||||
How to apologize for poor service | Apologize | Business; Apology; Customer Service; Professional | Customer/Client | ||||
How to apologize for something outside of your control | Apologize | Professional; Business; Apology | Customer/Client | ||||
How to apologize for the delayed return of a borrowed item | Apologize | Apology; Borrowed; Relationships | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to apologize for the inability to do something | Apologize | Apology; Relationships; Boundaries; No | General | ||||
How to apologize for the inability to pay | Apologize | Money; Apology; Broke; Finances | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to apologize/say you’re sorry | ConfessApologize | Apologize; Sorry | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to ask for a divorce | RequestConfront/Defend | Relationships, Divorce | Partner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask for feedback | Request | Careers; Feedback | ColleagueBossCustomer/ClientEmployee | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask for participation in a survey | Request | survey; feedback | EmployeeCustomer/Client | ||||
How to ask for space | RequestConfront/Defend | Relationships; | Partner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask for the return of an object (intentionally taken) | RequestConfront/Defend | Relationships; Borrow | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask for the return of an object (loaned) | RequestConfront/Defend | Relationships; Loan | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask someone about suspicious behavior without accusing them of it | Confront/Defend | accusation, difficult conversations | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask someone out on a date | LoveRequest | Dating; Relationships | Loved OneDateFriend | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask someone to stop talking about politics or religion around you | RequestConfront/Defend | Politics; Religion; Conversations; Family | GeneralLoved One | COMPLETE | |||
How to ask your friends for money | Request | FriendYou | COMPLETE | ||||
How to ask your partner for couple's therapy | RequestConfront/Defend | Therapy; Relationships; Conflict | Partner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to break up with someone | ConfessConfront/DefendDecline | Love; Relationships | DatePartner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to break up with your friend | Confront/Defend | Breakup; Friend | Friend | ||||
How to call in sick | Inform | Career, Sick | Boss | COMPLETE | |||
How to call someone out respectfully | InformConfront/DefendGive Feedback | Relationships; Confrontation; Feedback | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to comfort a friend going through a divorce | Comfort | Divorce; Comfort | Loved OneFriend | COMPLETE | |||
How to comfort a friend with anxiety | ComfortEncourage | Anxiety; Comfort; Friendship | Friend | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to complain to your waiter | Give FeedbackConfront/Defend | COMPLETE | |||||
How to confess your love | LoveConfess | Romance; Love; Dating; Relationships | Partner/SpouseLoved OneFriend | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate an employee on an award | PraiseCongratulate | Award; Praise | Employee | ||||
How to congratulate someone | PraiseCongratulate | Congratulate; Praise | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on a big achievement | CongratulatePraise | COMPLETE | |||||
How to congratulate someone on a marriage | Congratulate | Love; Congratulations; Wedding; Marriage | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on a new baby | Congratulate | Love; Congratulations; Wedding; Marriage | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on a new job | PraiseCongratulate | New Job; Congratulations; Networking | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on a promotion | CongratulatePraise | Congratulate; Promotion; Networking; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on a wedding anniversary | Congratulate | Relationships, Celebration, Congratulations, Anniversary, Wedding | GeneralLoved One | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on graduating | PraiseCongratulate | Graduation; Congratulations; Student | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to congratulate someone on successfully paying off a loan | CongratulatePraise | Congratulations; Loan; Money | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to decline a request for money | Decline | Money | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | |||
How to deliver bad news | InformComfort | General | PHASE I - INCOMPLETE | ||||
How to disagree (respectfully) with your boss's feedback | Confront/Defend | Feedback; Career | Boss | COMPLETE | |||
How to encourage someone to answer your question instead of saying, “I don’t know” | ConfessConfront/Defend | General | COMPLETE | ||||
How to find anything you need in a library | LearnMiscEditor's Note | Cool Guides | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to follow up with a customer who gave you a low survey score or bad review | ApologizeThank | Business; Professional; Customer Service | Customer/Client | ||||
How to give a compliment | PraiseGive FeedbackEncourage | Compliment; | Friend | COMPLETE | |||
How to give a funeral eulogy | Special EventComfort | Funeral; Grief; Sorrow; Comfort; Eulogy | Loved One | COMPLETE | |||
How to give a recommendation | PromotePraise | Recommendation; Networking | ColleagueBoss | COMPLETE | |||
How to give feedback | Request | Feedback | GeneralBossColleagueFriendEmployee | COMPLETE | |||
How to give someone a backhanded compliment | Confront/DefendLaugh | Nemesis | COMPLETE | ||||
How to give sympathy for a lost opportunity or job | ComfortEncourage | Sympathy; Missed Opportunity | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for an illness | Comfort | Sympathy; Comfort; Illness | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the illness of a loved one | Comfort | Illness; Sympathy; Comfort | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the loss of a child | Comfort | Grief; Loss; Sympathy; Death; Comfort | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the loss of a loved one | Comfort | Grief; Loss; Sympathy; Death; Comfort | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the loss of a parent | Comfort | Grief; Loss; Sympathy; Death; Comfort | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the loss of a partner | Comfort | Grief; Loss; Sympathy; Death; Comfort | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to give sympathy for the loss of a pet | Comfort | Grief; Loss; Sympathy; Death; Comfort; Pet | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to make an ass of yourself | Special EventLaugh | Funny; Jokes; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to make someone feel awkward about religion | Laugh | Joke; Laugh; Humor; Religion | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to offer comfort/give sympathy | ComfortOffer | Golden Rule; Empathy; Comfort; Grief | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to praise an employee for excellent work | Give FeedbackEncouragePraise | Employee | |||||
How to recommend someone you don't know | Laugh | Humor | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to recommend someone you don't like or respect | Laugh | Relationships, Networking | ColleagueGeneral | ||||
 | Confront/Defend | Conversation, Answering | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to reject a customer’s feature request | Decline | features; software | Customer/Client | ||||
How to request a change to an appointment | Request | General | COMPLETE | ||||
How to request a meeting | Request | Request; Meeting; Networking | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to request an interview | Confront/Defend | COMPLETE | |||||
How to resign | InformDepart | COMPLETE | |||||
How to respond to gaslighting | Confront/Defend | Gaslighting; Toxic People; Relationships; Boundaries | Nemesis | COMPLETE | |||
How to respond to lies | Confront/DefendRespond | COMPLETE | |||||
How to respond to nosy or inappropriate questions | Confront/DefendDeclineRespond | Respond to Rudeness; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to respond when you think someone is overreacting | Confront/DefendComfortRespond | Lying; Relationships | NemesisGeneral | COMPLETE | |||
How to say I love you (partner) | Love | Love; Relationships; Marriage; Dating | DatePartner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to say no | Confront/DefendDeclineAnswerRespond | Say No; Boundaries | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to say you’re not ready to move forward after an apology | InformRespond | Apology; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to set boundaries | Confront/Defend | Boundaries; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to set boundaries with a partner | Confront/Defend | Dating; Boundaries; Relationships | Partner/SpouseDate | COMPLETE | |||
How to talk like a Southerner | Editor's NoteLaughLearn | Southerner; Laugh; Expressions | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to talk to an angry customer or client | Apologize | Business; Customer Service; Professional | Customer/Client | ||||
How to tell someone they will not be your Bridesmaid, Groomsman, Maid of Honor or Best Man | InformConfront/Defend | COMPLETE | |||||
How to tell someone you are angry | Confront/Defend | Mad; Upset; Express; Feelings | GeneralPartner/SpouseFriendLoved One | COMPLETE | |||
How to tell someone you’re disappointed | Disappointment; Upset; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | ||||
How to thank someone | Thank | Relationships; Appreciation | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for a donation | Thank | Donation; Networking; Appreciation | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for a gift | Confront/Defend | Gift; Appreciation; Relationships | GeneralLoved OneFriendPartner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for a recommendation | Thank | Recommendation; Careers; Networking | GeneralBossPotential Customer/ClientFriendCustomer/ClientColleague | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for a service or kindness | Thank | Gratitude; Thank You; Appreciation; Kindness | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for being there | Thank | Thank you; Appreciation; Relationships | General | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank someone for their time | Thank | Relationships; Appreciation | GeneralPotential EmployerBossColleaguePotential Customer/ClientCustomer/ClientEmployee | COMPLETE | |||
How to thank your customer or client for their business | Thank | Thank you | Customer/Client | ||||
How to turn down a date | Decline | Relationships; Dating; No; Boundaries | Date | COMPLETE | |||
How to turn down a job offer | DeclineThank | Careers, Networking, Business, Job Offer | Potential EmployerColleague | COMPLETE | |||
How to turn down a request to do free work | DeclineThank | Turn Down; Boundaries; Free Work | FriendGeneral | COMPLETE | |||
Official Guide for Fighting with Your Partner | Confront/DefendEditor's Note | Love; Relationships; Fighting | Partner/Spouse | COMPLETE | |||
Stuck at home? I got you, boo | Special EventEditor's NoteLearn | quarantine | General | COMPLETE | |||
Things you need to stop apologizing for | ApologizeGive FeedbackEditor's Note | Apology; Self-Help; Advice; Self-Esteem; Confidence | You | COMPLETE | |||
Why do we communicate what is untrue? | Editor's Note | Lying; Books; Personal Development; Honesty | General | COMPLETE |
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Getting Started
