Be the Sun, Not the Salt

#38 Gentle Nudge: Help Others Keep Perspective


Listen Later

Ever tried cheering up a friend… only to accidentally make things worse? Dr. Harry Cohen and Connie Fontaine are back with a Gentle Nudge from Chapter 17: “Help Others Keep Perspective”—and they’re dishing out gentle wisdom for those “I just want to fix it!” moments.

Hot takes from today’s toolkit:

  • 🩹 Scars, not wounds: Borrowing Rachel Hollis’ genius line, learn why timing matters when offering perspective (hint: wait till the bleeding stops).
  • 🧠 Swap “get over it” for “let’s move your lens”: How to metaphorically guide someone to “higher ground” without sounding like a know-it-all.
  • 👂 Empathy first, advice second: Harry’s own cancer diagnosis story reveals why “I can’t imagine your pain” works better than silver linings.

Pro move: When work stress or life chaos hits, borrow Connie’s mantra: “This’ll be here when you get back.” Spoiler: It’s way kinder than toxic positivity.

Perfect for anyone who’s ever blurted, “It’s not that big a deal!” (We’ve all been there 😬). 

Tune in for stories, laughs, and your weekly nudge to lead with heart, not answers. (Mini-episode, maxi-impact—drop it into your next walk or commute!)

Links & Resources

Be the Sun, Not the Salt - book


To explore the book, or for more episodes, information, tips and tools to live a more heliotropic life, visit us at bethesunnotthesalt.com and find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Be the Sun, Not the SaltBy Connie Fontaine and Harry Cohen, PhD