Brain Stuff
A person has three things to remember before leaving the house. What's more reliable: repeating them in your head or putting them somewhere you will actually see them?
Putting them somewhere visible/writing them down.
Someone responds “k” to your message. Give two possible explanations besides “they're mad at me.”
They're busy, distracted, tired, don't know what to say, etc.
You have an assignment you don't want to do. What's usually easier: “Finish the entire assignment” or “Open the assignment and read the first question”?
The smaller first step.
Your friend says, “I’m fine,” but they look like they just lost a fight with life. What are two things you could do?
Ask if they're okay, let them know you're there, or give them space if they don't want to talk.
You hear someone laughing across the room and immediately wonder if they're laughing at you. What are at least two other possibilities?
They're laughing at a joke, a text, something they remembered, or a conversation they're having.
Why can someone genuinely intend to do something but still completely forget to do it?
Intention doesn't guarantee memory; distractions, working memory, time blindness, or competing information can interfere.
Someone cancels plans twice. What's the difference between noticing the pattern and immediately deciding, “They obviously don't like me”?
The first is an observation; the second is an interpretation that may not be supported by enough information.
Your friend asks you to keep a secret, but keeping it would put you in an uncomfortable position. What are two options?
Set a boundary, tell them you can't keep that type of secret, or involve a trusted adult if safety is involved.
Someone takes 6 hours to text you back. What are three reasons that have nothing to do with them secretly hating you?
They were busy, asleep, forgot, didn't see the message, phone died, didn't know what to say, etc.
Someone says, “We need to talk later.” Name three possible meanings that aren't automatically something terrible.
They have a question, want to tell you something, need help with something, want to make plans, etc.
Someone has a huge project due in two weeks and keeps thinking, “I have plenty of time.” What's the problem with that strategy?
The deadline feels distant, so there may be little urgency to start; breaking it into earlier deadlines can help.
A friend tells you about a problem but doesn't ask for advice. What might they actually want?
Someone to listen, validate them, or simply be there.
Someone in your family is upset and you immediately feel like you need to make everything better. What's one question you could ask yourself before getting involved?
“Is this actually my responsibility?” or “Did they ask me to help?”
Your friend asks you to do something, but you already have plans. What's a way to say no without writing them a 17-paragraph apology?
“I can't today, but maybe another time,” or “Sorry, I already have plans.”
You make a joke and nobody laughs. What are three possible explanations besides “I am officially the least funny person alive”?
They didn't hear it, didn't understand it, weren't paying attention, weren't in the mood, etc.
A person remembers something they were supposed to do only after they're already in bed. What's one way they could prevent that from happening tomorrow?
Create a routine, reminder, checklist, alarm, or visual cue earlier in the day.
You're at a party where you don't know many people. What's a more realistic goal than “I need everyone to like me”?
Have one conversation, introduce yourself to someone, stay for a certain amount of time, or find one person you feel comfortable with.
You agreed to help someone, but now helping them is interfering with something important you need to do. What could you say?
Communicate the limit and renegotiate: “I can help for 20 minutes, but then I need to finish my own work.”
Someone tells you about their problem and you immediately start planning how to fix their entire life. What might they actually want from you?
They might just want someone to listen, understand, or support them.
You tell a friend something embarrassing and they say, “I didn't even notice that.” What's one reason they might genuinely be telling the truth?
People are usually paying more attention to themselves than to every little thing other people do.
Someone says, “I work better under pressure, so I'll just wait until the night before.” What's one potential downside of relying on that strategy?
More stress, poorer quality work, forgetting things, lack of sleep, or difficulty handling unexpected problems.
Someone hasn't responded to your message all day. You start thinking of five explanations, and every explanation gets worse. What would be a reasonable way to handle the uncertainty?
Recognize that you don't have enough information yet, consider neutral possibilities, and wait/check in later rather than assuming the worst.
You have your own responsibilities, a friend is upset, someone at home needs help, and you're already overwhelmed. What's the first step—not the solution to everything?
Pause, identify what is actually urgent/your responsibility, and prioritize one thing at a time.
Your friend is upset because someone didn't invite them somewhere. They say, “You need to fix this.” What's one thing you can do to support them without becoming the event planner, therapist, detective, and lawyer?
Listen, validate their feelings, help them think through their options, or encourage them to communicate directly with the person.
Someone does something that annoys you, but you're not sure if they did it on purpose. What's better than immediately starting a whole investigation in your head?
Pause, consider other explanations, and if it actually matters, ask them what happened.