What do you say to your colleague or loved ones when they are sick without sounding awkward? Saying the right words to someone when they are sick can be a difficult thing to do depending on your relationship with them. It can be a very tricky situation whether your relationship with them is professional or personal.
Any time I get a word that someone close to me is sick, the first words that comes to mind – and eventually out of my mouth – is “get well soon”. It sounds cliché and lacks that sincere feel. It sounds too common. Not special.
I always wonder if there’s a better way to say that which I want to say without sounding odd – or even worse – to a sick friend. It can be embarrassing to utter the same words to different persons when they are sick.
We have different emotional connections with different persons. It will be great to be able to express how much we miss them with the right words especially when they are down.
If you are one of those who have the terrible habit of saying the wrong things when someone is sick, you’re not alone. Almost everyone has experienced this before, and a lot of other people are still going to experience it.
The reason is that we’re never prepared for the worst – especially when someone is sick. We just don’t want to think about it. And when it comes, we are thrown off our guard.
Some people are so good with words that they always have the right things to say even during awkward times. These people always comes off as the cool ones. But, why can’t we all be the cool? Why can’t we all come out as being sensitive?
This is a problem that needs to be solved. I found practical solutions to this. No, I wouldn’t go on listing things to say. That is too rigid as we’re are all unique.
Rather, I’ll tell you what to do that will make you say the right words no matter your relationship with them.
So here’s what I suggest what to say when someone is sick without sounding odd:
Visit them and bring warmth to them
Yeah. Visiting a sick person has a way of bringing out emotions from within you. This in turn will make comforting words flow out of your mouth. Words you never knew you could say.
Your presence alone can make a huge difference when someone is sick. All feeling of awkwardness or oddness are gone. You’ll connect on a level that you could ever imagine.
You don’t even have to buy flowers or cards if you’re not up for it. Sometimes, we tend to overthink things, and end up not doing anything. When you arrive at the home of the sick person, endeavor to stay positive and don’t dwell on negatives. You could open up conversation with phrases like: “I’ve been thinking a lot about you”, “It’s good to see you”, “I’m glad I was able to visit you”, etc.
Listen to their words from heart
One of the greatest gift you can give someone is to listen to them – even when they are not sick. Sometimes, when people are sick, they feel like pouring out their hearts to someone.
It doesn’t matter who that person is as long as they are there to listen. You should be there for them. During these moments, you don’t have to say much. Just give them your full attention.
This alone can bring out the best words, and emotions from within you — which can just be a smile or a nod.
It is also ok to offer your help at this time. Just try to be specific on your offering. Avoid saying things like “Let me know if there’s any way I can help.” They are more likely to respond if you say something like “I will be over to your house on Sunday to cook your favorite dinner”.
Send a custom card to show how much they mean to you
It’s not just in the card, it’s about making them know how much they mean to you. Avoid cliché words. Simple words like “I miss you” on a card will go a long way in showing that you care.
There are many inspirations you can use. Try to be genuine and humorous. Here are two of some examples of get well soon messages I have used in the past.
a. “Here’s a to-do list that I want you to make your priority:
1. Get Well!
2. There is nothing else on the list
3. Seriously, just do number 1.”
b. “If I told you to ‘get well soon,’ it wouldn’t be soon enough. Get well now!”
You can find more examples of this kind of message here
These tips will help you in avoiding awkward situations when someone is sick especially when you don’t know what to say. When you follow these tips, you don’t even have to think about what to say, it comes to you naturally.
