Two Words From a Stranger on a Bench: 15 Short Phrases That Calmed a Tense Moment

My old boss grabbed me by my shoulders from behind while I was walking and he said to me “no relax like this, shoulders back, walk like you own the place” and I have done it ever since.

A teacher of mine said he would write me a letter of recommendation, but it had been a week or so and he hadn’t gotten back to me yet. I went in a 3rd time to remind him and I started off with an apology, to which he corrected me, saying “don’t ever stop advocating for yourself”

It’s advice I haven’t forgotten since.

“Tantrum at the supermarket”

I know that this is a classic problem, but my 3 yo had a tantrum at the checkout line in the grocery store when I said that she couldn’t have any of the chocolate bars or candies that are there as parent traps. Anyways she threw a fit and sat on the floor crying.

The person working the register caught her attention and in the nicest way said ‘hey, you know when I was your age I also really wanted a candy, and my mom said no and I cried so hard. Then my mom just left me there, and well, I’m still here today.’ It was amazing.

When I was out jogging as an overweight person, I went past a young mom out walking with her baby stroller. After jogging myself near the brink of collapsing, because frankly I didn’t know how to exercise in moderation, I was slowly dragging myself home. I passed the same mom sitting on a bench on my route home, and she simply told me; “nice work”.

I’m still not physically fit to this day, but such simple words of encouragement from a stranger still warms my heart.

My high school biology teacher, on the end of every quiz or exam, would put a giveaway point question. The question was always the same: Science is: A- Exciting, B- Interesting, C- A Challenge, D- All of the above. No matter which you marked you got the point. However, since this was on every exam, the saying was sand blasted into my long term memory. This led to me always somehow muttering this whenever I was taking an exam in University (substituting the word science with whatever necessary). Then it led to me muttering it whenever I was dealing with something stressful. Now it has become a fall back whenever I run into a life roadblock and everything is simply designated A- Exciting, B- Interesting, C- A Challenge, D- All of the above. It’s simple but it helps keep me from being too negative.

I’m a cashier.

I stopped called people sir/mam because it came across as too formal, and some people didn’t care for it. So I switched to just saying “my dear”. Like “alright. You’re all set, my dear. Have a wonderful day” type thing. And something interesting I’ve noticed is the way people’s faces light up when I say that. People who are monotone, no smiles, etc during the whole transaction will suddenly smile. Some people are super quiet and shy and once I say “all set, my dear”, they seem to open up.

It’s made me think how much kindness and human connection is needed for people. And how rare it must be, for 2 simple words I say, “my dear”, to elicit such a positive reaction in people. all I know is it makes people smile so I will never stop calling random strangers “my dear”

I was about 4 and I was coloring on one of those art easels for kids and my mom was cleaning the house. I asked her if I could draw on myself and she surprisingly said yes. So of course I took my markers and just went to town coloring my arms and stomach and legs. She came into the room to find me and flipped out that I had done this. I thought I was in big trouble so I started crying and I said “But you told me I could!” To which she responded, “You’re right I did. I thought you meant on the paper though. That was my fault, let’s get you cleaned up.” And I wasn’t in trouble at all. That was the day I realized adults aren’t just there to punish you and that my mom was fair and understanding.

“Tantrum diffuser in the parking lot”

Suddenly, he escaped my grasp and started to run. I got down to his level and said, “you can hold my hand or momma can pick you up.” [Then] three ladies approached us.

These ladies, moms and grandmas themselves, pulled the coolest move I’ve ever seen. They came over and started giving over the top compliments to my toddler: “look at your beautiful eyes!”, “such a handsome boy!”, etc. It was so excessive and dramatic that it caused him to immediately stop his tantrum, get shy, and clutch me like these ladies were about to commit grand theft toddler. They walked away once I was holding him and one rubbed my shoulder and said, “hang in there, momma.”

We got to the car easily with him holding me and I broke down crying when we all got inside.

I’ve been a waitress at a downtown restaurant for some time. There was a festival in downtown and as we are a small family-owned restaurant, our staff is rather small. I was holding the floor on my own while my coworker was working the bar. A lady sat at one of my tables and was quickly becoming impatient and proceeded to scream at me in front of the whole restaurant about having to wait. Another customer I was serving stopped me as I was rushing by to tell me, “You’re doing amazing. We see how busy you are. Take a second to breathe.”

She has come in once since and remembered my face and proceeded to hug me and tell her friends what happened to me. I love her dearly.

“Slowly, slowly catch a monkey.”

My favourite aunt says this to me when I get too excited and go off on tangents about my ideas. When I think about it, it reminds me that things don’t happen overnight and gives me a strange sense of comfort.

I have a list of chores and errands for today. Left my wallet at home.

The cashier was so kind. He set it aside and said, “It will be here when you get back. Take your time.”

It’s a great day for a great day!

When my football coach told me “sit down man, I know youve already given me everything in the tank and then some.”

It stuck with me as one of the few times I felt like I was actually appreciated.

“Have I been respectful to you?”

Me: “well, yeah”

“Are you being respectful to me?”

Simple words. They have guided me so much.

I’m a high strung person but when I was a child, my dad looked me dead in the eyes and said “be like the swan. They glide through the water and look calm and cool, but if you were to look below you’d see their feet frantically kicking. Don’t let them see you sweat, but work hard.” I didn’t think it made an impact but people tell me often that I come off very organized and calm while inside my inner monologue is a constant scream. Thanks, dad!

I was once having a pointless bratty argument with my mother and said something dramatic along the lines of ’I don’t care if you stop loving me’ and with the most sincere tone, she looks me in the eyes and says “Honey, I will never stop loving you.”

Instantly broke.