When your friend has an adorably little achievement to share with you, it can be hard to feign excitement. Maybe she hit her steps goal for the day, or finally got her car inspected – but look at her, she’s so proud! Still, you need to support her. Here’s how to tell her you’re proud of her dumb little achievement like you really mean it.
Ask, “Wait, what?!” when she first tells you.
Appearing not to believe her is a good indicator that you also think signing up for a yoga retreat is a big achievement worth sharing. Take some time to really take it in, and she will feel your pride in her!
Say, “Whoa, congrats!”
Throwing a “whoa” in there lets her know that her stupid news is a big deal – even though she just got her teeth cleaned and you’d like to move on to more interesting topics of conversation. Just because her achievements are more boring than yours, doesn’t mean you don’t have to be a good friend!
Ask questions so you sound interested.
Which dog shelter did she adopt from? Where did she get her new slippers? Who is this mystery man she want on three whole dates with? Acting like you care about the details of how she accomplished this makes it believable that you’re really invested in her silly little efforts to succeed in life.
Imply that you’re both going to look back on this fondly.
If you’re struggling to match her exuberance for her teensy achievement that you’ve managed to do hundreds of times without talking about it, it never hurts to throw in a “Well, I guess I can say I knew you when,” – nobody will know or care about the level of sarcasm you use here! Weaving this accomplishment into a larger story will help her feel like she is a grand lady, making waves, while you will be comforted by the knowledge that you can move on from talking or caring about her sad little accomplishment.
It can be hard to feel invested in your friend’s achievements when they’re neither momentous nor yours, but there is still a way to appear invested – even if you are an asshole!
