What will I learn about: navigate life's inevitable frustrations and profound grief by adopting the calming mantra that sometimes things are simply 'just like this.'?

Learn how to navigate life's inevitable frustrations and profound grief by adopting the calming mantra that sometimes things are simply 'just like this.'

What will I learn about: why actively listening and validating a loved one's feelings is far more effective than immediately jumping in to offer readymade solutions?

Discover why actively listening and validating a loved one's feelings is far more effective than immediately jumping in to offer readymade solutions.

What will I learn about: why neither pure faith nor scientific reasoning holds all the answers, and embrace the peace of simply saying 'I don't know' to life's greatest mysteries?

Understand why neither pure faith nor scientific reasoning holds all the answers, and embrace the peace of simply saying 'I don't know' to life's greatest mysteries.

What will I learn about: Recognize the importance of establishing personal boundaries by learning why the simple act of saying 'no' is a vital component of healthy relationships?

Recognize the importance of establishing personal boundaries by learning why the simple act of saying 'no' is a vital component of healthy relationships.

What will I learn about: the art of using specific, well-timed phrases—such as sincerely admitting 'I was wrong'—to resolve sudden crises and keep your most important relationships on track?

Master the art of using specific, well-timed phrases—such as sincerely admitting 'I was wrong'—to resolve sudden crises and keep your most important relationships on track.

Tell Me More

Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say

Kelly Corrigan

★ 3.9 / 5(191 ratings)

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Categories:

Biography & Memoir Communication Skills

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡What if the secret to navigating your most complex relationships lies in mastering just a handful of simple, everyday phrases?
💡Have you ever wondered why the most ordinary, frustrating moments of life are often the ones that teach us the most about how to truly love others?
💡Are you curious about how a single, honest sentence can bridge the gap between you and your loved ones during life’s most difficult transitions?

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Key Takeaways from Tell Me More

✓Learn how to navigate life's inevitable frustrations and profound grief by adopting the calming mantra that sometimes things are simply 'just like this.'
✓Discover why actively listening and validating a loved one's feelings is far more effective than immediately jumping in to offer readymade solutions.
✓Understand why neither pure faith nor scientific reasoning holds all the answers, and embrace the peace of simply saying 'I don't know' to life's greatest mysteries.
✓Recognize the importance of establishing personal boundaries by learning why the simple act of saying 'no' is a vital component of healthy relationships.
✓Master the art of using specific, well-timed phrases—such as sincerely admitting 'I was wrong'—to resolve sudden crises and keep your most important relationships on track.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Tell Me More

Mind Map

Tell Me More

Just Like This+

Listening Over Fixing+

I Don't Know+

The Power of No+

I Was Wrong+

Good Enough+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6

What profound realization helps Kelly cope with the overwhelming grief and household chaos on a particularly bad morning?

A. She needs to take charge and enforce strict rules for her husband and daughters.
B. She must accept that sometimes life is "just like this" and weather the storm.
C. She should rely on her husband to handle the parenting duties when she is stressed.
D. She needs to confront her family about how their behavior exacerbates her grief.

Question 2 of 6

When Kelly's daughter Georgia calls home upset about a conflict with a classmate, what approach does Kelly's friend Tracy advise her to take?

A. Play devil's advocate to help Georgia see the other girl's perspective.
B. Immediately call the school to resolve the issue with the teachers.
C. Simply summarize and repeat Georgia's feelings back to her instead of offering solutions.
D. Give Georgia step-by-step advice on how to confront her classmate.

Question 3 of 6

After Kelly's father miraculously survives a severe bout of cancer, what conclusion does Kelly reach about the competing explanations of faith and science?

A. Science and human ingenuity are solely responsible for his recovery.
B. The prayers of his family and friends were the true cause of his healing.
C. Medical science and religion ultimately teach the exact same principles.
D. Sometimes neither science nor religion offers a full explanation, and it is okay to admit "I don't know."

Question 4 of 6

Why does Kelly ultimately accept her husband Edward's refusal to pursue adoption or embryo donors after her battle with cancer?

A. She realizes they cannot afford the financial cost of the procedures.
B. She recognizes his "no" as a necessary act of self-preservation that protects their marriage.
C. She discovers that her doctors strongly advise against expanding their family.
D. She decides she wants to focus entirely on her career instead of having more children.

Question 5 of 6

What triggers Kelly's realization that she must apologize and admit "I was wrong" to her daughter?

A. She unfairly punished her daughter for failing a test she hadn't studied for.
B. She exploded in anger at Georgia over a bathroom mess that was actually Claire's fault.
C. She accidentally threw away her daughter's important school project while cleaning.
D. She broke a promise to take the girls to a concert because of a work commitment.

Question 6 of 6

What lesson does Kelly draw from her conversation with a rabbi at a bat mitzvah and her own father's support during her twenties?

A. Religious ceremonies are essential for teaching children discipline.
B. Success requires executing a flawless, step-by-step life plan by age 30.
C. People don't need to be perfect; having a few wins and someone who believes in them is "good enough."
D. Young adults should be shielded from adult responsibilities until they are fully mature.

Tell Me More — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2When everything collapses, the best we can do is accept that it’s “just like this.”
3Sometimes the best way to help someone you love is listening, not offering advice instead.
4Neither faith nor reason provides the answers to life’s mysteries.
5Saying no is an essential element of healthy relationships.
6The only words to use when you mess up are “I was wrong.”
7You don’t need to be perfect — “good enough” is sufficient.

Tell Me More Summary & Overview

Tell Me More (2019) is a meditation on the phrases that allow us to express love and connect with others. Built around a series of intimate personal essays, Kelly Corrigan’s study of life’s many frustrations and joys cements her critical reputation as a “poet laureate of the ordinary.” Unflinchingly honest and often downright hilarious, Corrigan’s reflections are an endlessly thought-provoking exploration of the meaning of death, friendship, parenthood and, above all, love.

Who Should Listen to Tell Me More?

New parents wondering what’s in store for them
Anyone who’s lost a loved one
The philosophically minded

About the Author: Kelly Corrigan

Kelly Corrigan is a best-selling author based in Oakland, California. Hailed as the voice of her generation by O: The Oprah Magazine, her previous books include The Middle Place, Lift and Glitter and Glue. Corrigan is also the creative director of the Nantucket Project, an annual conference bringing together some of today’s most exciting thinkers and creatives.

Tell Me More

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Tell Me More — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Tell Me More

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Tell Me More — Full Chapter Overview

Tell Me More Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Tell Me More?

About the Author: Kelly Corrigan

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