What do you want to do for your friends or family members when they’re experiencing tough times? Go to their rescue, right?
You may not have the option to do so in person or even by phone. Maybe you’re 12 hours behind your friend who lives in Russia or you can’t possibly sneak a call to a loved one into your busy schedule.
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Jump ahead to these sections:
- Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up After a Death
- Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up When They’re Sick
- Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up After a Breakup
- Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up Who’s Going Through Another Rough Time
Why not cheer someone up via text? The following examples show the simple but effective messages you can send to someone going through a difficult experience.
Tip: If someone you know recently lost a loved one, consider setting up a memorial page to provide a space to share memories and tributes.
Where to Share Condolences
Sending a text message is a perfect way to share a quick line or two with someone to let them know you're thinking of them. However, you might want to do more than a text message. Where can you share a longer condolence message with a memory or even a picture or two?
Cake's free memorial page
Cake offers a free memorial page where you can post tributes, messages, memories, and pictures. You can also donate to a memorial fundraiser in their loved one's honor. These memorial pages can be created by a family who lost a loved one or by a friend who wants to honor the memory of the person they loved.
Social media pages
If the family members of the deceased have posted a death announcement on their social media pages, you can respond to the original posting with a condolence message. If there are no mentions of the death on social media, then check with the family first before posting a message.
A sympathy card
A card will always be a perfect place to share a message of sympathy and a memory in tribute to a friend or loved one. Unsure of what to write? Keep reading for some inspiration.
Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up After a Death
Knowing how to console someone who has just lost a loved one is always difficult. This can feel even more challenging when you’re trying to do so via text. Of course, you can say “sorry for your loss” or “how can I help?” — but you might want to add something more.
Here are some options of how to comfort someone over text after a death:
- "Whenever you need to call, I'm here."
- "I wish I could be there right now."
- "You're still in my thoughts. Remember that."
- “Your family is lucky to have you through all this.”
- “Maybe I can’t be there, but there’s definitely something I can do. Whatever it is, let me know.”
1. “Whenever you need to call, I’m here.”
You may not be able to actually visit a friend or family member who has struggled with a loss if you need to spread cheer via text. However, you can offer your condolences and let your loved one know you’re always available for a phone call. You can always follow this message with a thinking of you card or a nice bouquet of flowers.
2. “I wish I could be there right now.”
The fact that you’re unable to see a friend or family member who has lost a loved one doesn’t mean you shouldn’t acknowledge that you wish you could be with that person. Let your loved one know you’d like nothing better than to be there.
3. “You’re still in my thoughts. Remember that.”
Mourning takes time. You might send some of these text messages immediately after learning about a loss. Let your friend or loved one know that he or she is still in your thoughts even after a few weeks or months have passed.
4. “Your family is lucky to have you through all this.”
When people cope with a recent death, there’s a good chance the death has also affected others in their lives. Let friends and loved ones know that those people are lucky to have someone as strong as them to help them grieve.
5. “Maybe I can’t be there, but there’s definitely something I can do. Whatever it is, let me know.”
Once more, helping a friend struggling with a loss can be challenging for both of you when you can’t see him or her right away. That said, there are almost certainly ways you can help. Ask!
Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up When They’re Sick
Friends or loved ones who are sick need to be cheered up on a regular basis. This is true regardless of the severity of their illness. Plus, you can always send the text and follow up with a small get-well gift box.
If someone you care about is ill or injured, here's how to comfort someone over text:
- "Hey, get well soon. Like, real soon. That's not a request.
- "You're doing a great job with a major responsibility. How can I help you make it easier?"
- “Remember that time you [insert major achievement here]? You’ve got this.”
- “I hate that you’re going through this. On the other hand, I don’t hate that I lost my biggest competition in the dating world.”
- “Hey, I haven’t forgotten about you or how difficult this must be. You’re showing a lot of strength.”
6. “Hey, get well soon. Like, real soon. That’s not a request. It’s an order. We miss you.”
This is the type of text message you might send to a friend or family member whose life isn’t threatened by an illness, but may be struggling with a lengthy sickness. Jokingly let your friend or loved one know that he or she needs to speed up the recovery process so you can hang out again.
7. “You’re doing a great job with a major responsibility. How can I help make it easier?”
This actually isn’t a text you’d send directly to a sick friend or loved one. Instead, it’s a text you’d send when someone has a sick family member and that person is the major caregiver.
8. “Remember that time you [insert major achievement here]? You’ve got this.”
Remind a sick friend about a very impressive accomplishment achieved or major struggle overcome. Bonus points if it’s both genuine and funny!
9. “I hate that you’re going through this. On the other hand, I don’t hate that I lost my biggest competition in the dating world.”
This is another cute message you might send to a friend who may not be struggling with a life-threatening illness but is too sick to go out for a while. Make your friend feel attractive by saying your dating life is much less competitive.
10. “Hey, I haven’t forgotten about you or how difficult this must be. You’re showing a lot of strength.”
Is someone you care about currently struggling with a chronic or long-term illness or injury? If so, take a moment to remind your friend or loved one that you remember — and that you care.
Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up After a Breakup
Breaking up is rarely easy. You may know what it’s like to adapt to life after a breakup. Here's how to comfort someone over text who is going through this experience:
- "Tomorrow will be easier. The next day will be even easier. And so on..."
- "Hey, why don't we [insert fun, remote activity here]."
- "Say whatever you need to say about this. No judgment."
- "So, what are you doing to get over this?"
- "So, I heard a funny joke today..."
11. “Tomorrow will be easier. The next day will be even easier. And so on…”
There are many ways to get over a breakup. Often, you simply need to let time run its course. Getting over a breakup tends to get easier with each passing day. Remind a friend of that (and also admit that bad days will sometimes happen).
12. “Hey, why don’t we [insert fun, remote activity here].”
Friends often cheer each other up after breakups by suggesting fun activities. You may not be able to hang out in person but you can probably think of remote activities your friend would enjoy, like playing an online game or participating in a hobby together, such as playing music through video chat.
13. “Say whatever you need to say about this. No judgment.”
People often need to vent after a breakup. Maybe your friend or loved one needs to call you and express every tiny feeling — you can give them permission to do so via text.
14. “So, what are you going to do to get over this?”
Sure, this may sound a little harsh, but depending on the nature of your relationship, it might be the best message to send to someone going through a breakup. This message will remind your friend or loved one that he or she is somewhat responsible for not wallowing in negative feelings. It can help to make a plan that doesn’t lead to months of unhealthy living and self-pity.
15. “So, I heard a funny joke today…”
This is the type of text message you might send a few days or weeks following a breakup. Some people find overcoming these experiences is much easier when they laugh every day. If you know your friend’s sense of humor pretty well, consider cheering him or her up by sending a daily joke or funny story via text.
Text Messages to Cheer Someone Up Who’s Going Through Another Rough Time
People can struggle for plenty of reasons. Deaths, breakups, and illnesses aren’t the only reasons to cheer someone up via text. If someone is having a hard time for another reason, here's how to comfort someone over text:
- "Losing a job is the worst. Need to vent?"
- "One failure doesn't define anyone. You've already achieved [list accomplishments]."
- "Don't let anyone tell you how to feel. You definitely didn't ask to feel this way."
- "You probably want some revenge. I'd help, but I put that life behind me."
- Send a funny video or GIF.
- “This happens to everyone. Not everyone deals with it as well as you.”
16. “Losing a job is the worst. Need to vent?”
Someone who just lost a job might have a few unpleasant things to say about his former employer. Send a text letting him know you’ll always happily give him the opportunity to do so.
17. “One failure doesn’t define anyone. You’ve already achieved [list accomplishments].”
Maybe a friend or family member is feeling low because he recently failed a test, lost a big game, or failed in some other way. Cheer him up by reminding him of what he has accomplished — and that everyone experiences failure at one time or another.
18. “Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel. You definitely didn’t ask to feel this way.”
A friend or loved one struggling with depression or anxiety may go through a particularly bad spell. During this time, some might dismiss his or her feelings and say “Get over it.” Remind your friend that’s an unfair attitude.
19. “You probably want some revenge. I’d help, but I put that life behind me.”
Obviously, not all of these texts are right for all people. You need to consider a friend’s sense of humor when deciding how to cheer him up. That said, if he’s going through a tough time because of something someone else did (such as cheating on him), help your friend laugh at his angry feelings.
20. Send a funny video or GIF
It’s worth noting that text messages don’t always need to consist of, well, text. You could potentially cheer up someone going through a difficult experience by simply sending a funny video, GIF, or a similar piece of content.
21. “This happens to everyone. Not everyone deals with it as well as you.”
When someone’s struggling with a relatively common life experience, such as being rejected for a job, you can often easily cheer your friend or loved one up by letting her know the way she’s handling it impresses you.
Cheering Someone Up in the Digital Age
Don’t dismiss texting as a way to cheer someone up — it’s thoughtful and effective. Keep these examples in mind the next time someone needs a boost and you need to know how to cheer someone up over text.
Need more ideas on how to cheer someone up? Check out our guides on the best relaxing gifts and stress relief gift baskets.