When you’re feeling stressed while hanging out with family or friends, it’s a good idea to take a short break before automatically exploding.
Whatever’s freaking you out—whether it’s the topic of conversation or too much together time—I need a minute (or two or 10) to cool down is a totally respectable and cathartic thing to say in the heat of the moment.
When we want to be kind, such as when we’re breaking up with someone, we’ll take the blame for the situation and say “It’s not you, it’s me.”
But, other times, when we’ve had enough, it’s freeing and empowering to say, “It’s not me, it’s you!” Honesty, right?
We all know the word sh!t is slightly vulgar but, man, is it a cathartic exclamation to express dismay, disgust, or frustration.
And, when you add the word to phrases, it doubles in therapeutic value: “I don’t give a sh!t” when you don’t care; “no sh!t” when you’re feeling annoyed; “crock of sh!t” works when you want to call out someone who’s lying; “holy sh!t” says it all when you’re feeling shocked or astonished.
Unfortunately, it’s not a word that is appropriate to use at work or in front of the kids. So, let’s look at some more respectable cathartic terms for those situations.
When you’ve endured an unpleasant event that you can’t tolerate any longer, well that’s the last straw! The expression is perfect for traffic jams after a hard day at work or a demanding houseguest who asks for one more nitpicky thing. And, while it may not change your immediate circumstances, it does feel good to glimpse the idea of never having to be in this horrible situation again.
The expression comes from the idiom the straw that broke the camel’s back. There’s an old Arab proverb about a camel who was overloaded with straw so it couldn’t stand or move. Poor camel.
Some people just can’t help interfering in your life or in a private conversation. They involve themselves in all matters that don’t concern them.
And, while mind your own business probably won’t stop them from telling you what to do during your next work crisis, it does feel good to stand up for yourself . . . even if it is only under your breath.
The interjection ow naturally escapes our mouths when we experience sudden pain. But, is ow really a word?
Yes! The exclamation was first recorded in the mid-17th century. And, it’s related to another cathartic expression for pain: ouch. (Fun fact: Ouch can be (seriously) used as a noun to describe a serious injury. I have an ouchie!)
Telling someone to “shut up” can be a pretty rude expression. But, when you’ve repeatedly asked someone to be quiet and they continue to talk or make noise, what else can you do?
However, don’t automatically take offense if someone tells you to shut up. Maybe, they don’t want you to stop talking after all. In modern-day slang, shut up is used to express disbelief or amazement. It’s said with an inflection of surprise rather than anger.
Goodbye, of course, is what we say when we leave behind something or someone for good. It’s generally said in good spirits or tearfully if we’re sad that we won’t see the person for a while.
But, when we’re pissed off at someone, shouting “goodbye,” meaning good riddance, is just as satisfying as slamming a door in that person’s face. How to find closure 101.
The expression I’ve said my piece is typically uttered quietly and calmly, after a brilliant addition to an argument, and it’s no less powerful than shouting “goodbye.”
It’s an effective way to put an end to an uncomfortable or heated discussion and classier than a mic drop.
I forgive you may be the most cathartic expression of all. Forgiveness may seem hard and only beneficial to the person who is let off the hook.
But, the forgiver benefits the most by letting go of feelings of anger, bitterness, or even vengeance, moving upward and onward with a clean slate.
. . . it’s time to turn that stern frown around. Check out these verbal pick-me-ups to brighten your day for even more catharsis.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
