“So just do it” is a glaring one for me.
Simply because it is disregarding someone else’s thought processes and how their mind works. Where simply ‘just do it’ is not as easily and readily accomplished. This kind of advice is always uttered when one person is going on about how they’re tired of something and want to do something else. So this gets mentioned.
It could be a lot of reasons as to why, even if it is down to the obvious reasons. My valid reason a lot of the time is that I just don’t have the energy or will to just magically get myself to do something.
Tell someone “don’t get upset” and they’re gonna lose their shit
Tell them “don’t panic” and they’ll listen most of the time.
“Promise me you won’t be upset.”
I am not promising shit until you tell me what we’re talking about. In fact, you just got me upset.
However, “don’t panic” wouldn’t get a better reaction from me. If you want me to not panic, tell me you’ve already dealt with it and there’s nothing for me to do, or at the very least describe your plan. I’ll decide whether panic is warranted after I hear your solution.
Another bad one:
“We need to talk when you get here.”
If we’re not going to talk about it now, why not wait to bring it up until I’m there?
I’m just saying, panicking basically never helps any situation and can even make things much worse. As much as that might go against human nature, not panicking will help you in infinitely more situations than panicking.
I think I might be okay with this one. If I think I’m going over there for a fun get together, but I’m ambushed with a serious discussion (almost always very bad) it’s going to be more challenging for me. I think the warning would prepare me for what’s about to happen.
Well, the context I was thinking was routine travel.
If I had plans with a friend, and they had something big to tell me, I’d be ok with them saying we needed to talk when I got there.
I’m thinking more along the lines of:
It’s Wednesday, I’m at work, and my wife calls me in the middle of the day to tell me we have to talk when I get home.
Or conversely, I’m at home, and my boss calls me to say I should come to his office so we can talk when I get in.