Photo: Sandrachile (Unsplash)
When someone confides in you—about anything from truly awful to just an average shitty day—the next words out of your mouth should never, ever be: “At least...”
Whatever comes after “At least...” is minimizing at best and offensive at worst.
I’ve got such a bad cold. At least it’s not the flu.
I lost my job today. At least you get to have a break from working.
I had a miscarriage. At least you know you can get pregnant.
“At least” might be a sympathetic thing to say, but it’s not empathetic. The difference is substantial, according to Brené Brown, a research professor who has studied courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy.
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