Silent Sam

It can be hard to know what to do or what to say when someone is going through a hard time.  If you identify as a Silent Sam (or Samantha) you know this discomfort.

Naming the elephant in the room is powerful – you don’t need to have all of the answers; people want to feel acknowledged when they are going through a hard time.

“I’m not even sure what to say right now, but I want to let you know that I care.”

Or

“I’m not even sure what to say right now, but I care about you and I’m glad that you trusted me enough to tell me.”

Silent Sams are often more comfortable with meaningful actions than they are with words. 

Offer something specific to a person going through a hard time.  For example, if you are a gift giver, this can sound like, “I know you are driving back and forth to the hospital a lot.  I got you this gift card because gas can be expensive on top of everything else.”