There’s a fine line between sarcasm and plain rudeness. There’s an equally fine line between well intended and just stupid. Which one do you fall in? That’s a tough answer…but for the sake of argument, let’s assume you mean well.
Still, how many times have you opened your fat mouth…only to be desperately looking for your foot to stick in there?
“You Seem Happy” – You never know how someone is truly feeling, so you may need to find another way to put this. Therapist Erica Hornthal says it’s about understanding your audience. "For people with mental illness or high-functioning anxiety,” she explains. “These phrases can feel invalidating and unsupportive."
“Well, That’s Amazing” – Unless whatever happened really was amazing? This will be subconsciously perceived as snotty. “It's often a cover up for when we're either jealous or simply not listening," Wayne Pernell offers. “Instead, respond by saying ‘That's fantastic! Tell me more’.”
“You Should’ve Reached Out” – Like someone needs to fee lousier? How about “Please feel free to reach out to me in the future. I’m here for you” instead? This leaves an open door, especially if your friend is going through some things.
“This is Better Than I Expected” – You’re ratting yourself out and admitting that you had low expectations from the jump…and that you’re surprised that things actually turned out well. BEWARE, you may get a few foul words thrown your way.
“You’re So Cute” – This is something you tell your little brother when he’s trying to grow up on you, and you squeeze those little cheeks. He’ll probably just shoo you away and go on about his business. Try saying this someone older, and it definitely won’t go over as smoothly. Unless the recipient is under 10…it’ll come off as patronizing.