5 prompts for messages you don't know how to start (save this) 🐾
The overdue thank-you. The check-in to someone you've lost touch with. The hard conversation you keep putting off. Fill-in templates for all five.
Yesterday I told you about the message I’d been avoiding. Today I’m giving you the prompts — five of them, for five different kinds of messages that tend to sit unsent for longer than they should.
Copy whichever ones feel right for your life right now. Remember: these give you the structure. You add the heart.
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Prompt 1 — The Overdue Thank-You
“Write a warm, genuine thank-you message to [who] for [what they did]. It’s been [how long] since they did this — I want to acknowledge that I’m late but not make a big deal of it. Keep it [brief / heartfelt / specific]. The tone should feel like it comes from someone who genuinely means it, not like a formal note.”
Use this: when you’ve been meaning to say thank-you and kept putting it off because you felt too late
Prompt 2 — The Reconnection
“I want to reconnect with [who — old friend, former colleague, family member you’ve drifted from]. We last spoke about [when]. There was no falling out — we just lost touch. I want to reach out in a way that feels genuine and low-pressure — not a big deal, just a warm hello that opens the door. Write me a short, natural-sounding message. No drama, no guilt. Just human.”
Use this: when you’ve been thinking about someone from your past and wondering how they are
Prompt 3 — The Hard Conversation Opener
“I need to address something sensitive with [relationship]. Here’s the situation: [explain briefly]. I want to bring this up in a way that is [honest / gentle / direct] without putting them on the defensive. I don’t want to blame them — I want to open a conversation. Write me an opening message that names the issue clearly but leaves space for their response. End it with something that gives them time, not pressure.”
Use this: family situations, friend disagreements, anything that needs to be said but carefully
Prompt 4 — The Letter to a Grandchild
“Write a letter from a grandparent to [grandchild’s name and age]. I want to tell them [what you want them to know — something about who they are, what you love about them, a piece of advice, a memory you share]. The tone should be [warm / funny / wise / personal]. I want it to be something they might keep. Keep it under [length].”
Use this: birthdays, milestones, graduations, or any time you want to say something that lasts
Prompt 5 — The Message to Someone Going Through Something Hard
“A [friend / family member / neighbor] is going through [what they’re facing — illness, loss, divorce, hard time]. I want to reach out but I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to be platitude-y or make it about me. I just want them to know I’m thinking of them and I’m here. Write me a short, genuine message that doesn’t try to fix anything — it just shows up.”
Use this: when someone you know is struggling and you’ve been hesitating because you don’t want to say the wrong thing
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One important reminder before you send: read it out loud. If anything doesn’t sound like you, change it. The prompt gives you the structure. You give it the soul.
🎬 Watch today’s Mini Lesson: I walk through three real personal messages AI helped me write this month — an apology, a reconnection, and a hard family message — and the specific edits I made to each one before sending.
👉 Tuesday video link
Save this post. These five prompts will still be useful six months from now. 🐾
— Debbie
AI Puppy Playbook