#40: What to Say, When You Don’t Know What to Say (Pt. 1)

Sometimes I don’t know what to say. This can happen for many reasons.

First of all, I don’t hear what the person is saying. Even though they’ve repeated themselves three or four times all I hear is “Wadjusdifticult”

Second, my shy alter-ego takes over and I get too shy and/or nervous to think of something to say back to them.

Sometimes, I am honestly struck silent but what they just said. Like the time my brother told me he wanted to…Oh, nevermind…we won’t go into that.

Also, I can’t comment on command. Like when someone instructs me to “say something.” Say what?!? I don’t have anything TO say. If I did I would have already said it!

Anyways, for those occasions I have complied a list of non-committal remarks that usually do the job. And for those of you who struggle with the occasional bout of I-don’t-know-what-to-say-itis, I have listed them below:

1) “Yes.” or “No.” Either is fine. No is generally smarter especially if you don’t know what the person just said. For example, he could have said: “Do you want to go rob Macy’s with me?” Although this is not a likely question, it would be smart to just say “No” in case it was the question.

Then of course you run into the problem of what if he said, “Do you mind coming with me to rob Macy’s?” In which case saying “No” would put you in an awkward position of later having to explain you actually don’t want to be the Bonnie to his Clyde. (I never understood those two anyway.)

Also, you could end up like this:

This actually happened to me. This actually happened to me. This actually happened to me. Oh, you believe me...

And I’ve run out of time to finish. So I will give you more tips later!

Smile!!!