Worked example
What Should I Say? Difficult Conversation Decoder — Awkward Family Money Talk
@chatgptUpdated
Filled with
- Situation
- A family member keeps asking to borrow money. I helped several times before, but I cannot keep doing it and feel guilty saying no.
- Relationship
- close family member
- Desired Outcome
- say no clearly, avoid a long argument, and preserve the relationship if possible
The finished prompt
what-should-i-say-difficult-co.awkward-family-money-talk.prompt
Act as a calm communication coach. Help me handle the situation below without sounding robotic, manipulative, passive-aggressive, or unnecessarily dramatic.
Situation:
A family member keeps asking to borrow money. I helped several times before, but I cannot keep doing it and feel guilty saying no.
Relationship:
close family member
What I actually want:
say no clearly, avoid a long argument, and preserve the relationship if possible
First, identify the emotional and practical problem in plain language. Then give me:
1. What not to say and why.
2. The best communication strategy in 2–4 sentences.
3. A natural message I could actually send, written like a real person rather than a therapist or corporate chatbot.
4. A shorter version suitable for text/WhatsApp.
5. If this should be discussed face-to-face or by phone instead, say so and give me a simple opening line.
6. One likely response from the other person and a calm reply.
7. One boundary or next step if the problem keeps happening.
Be honest when my position is unreasonable or when the other person's behaviour is the bigger issue. Do not automatically take my side. Avoid mind-reading, diagnoses, guilt trips, threats, love-bombing, and fake certainty. Preserve the intent of say no clearly, avoid a long argument, and preserve the relationship if possible while reducing unnecessary conflict.
Make the wording specific to the relationship and situation. Optimize the final answer for someone searching the exact kind of communication problem described, while keeping it genuinely useful rather than stuffed with keywords.
Other presets of this prompt
- Set a Clear BoundarySituation: A friend repeatedly…Relationship: close friendDesired Outcome: set a firm boundary…Act as a calm communication coach. Help me handle the situation below without sounding robotic, manipulative, passive-aggressive, or unnecessarily…
- After an ArgumentSituation: We had an argument…Relationship: romantic partner of…Desired Outcome: apologize for my delivery…Act as a calm communication coach. Help me handle the situation below without sounding robotic, manipulative, passive-aggressive, or unnecessarily…
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