People say nonsensical things all the time. They don’t know better, they’re mindlessly expressing their second nature, or you caught them at a weird time. Sometimes, all of the above. You do it. I do it. Nobody’s perfect.

Nonsense shows up as a decision that doesn’t make sense, vague instructions, or a belief that conflicts with real-world evidence.

When you hear nonsense, the best thing you can do is to recognize it for what it is. 

Then, shrug it off. That person can add value in all sorts of other ways to your life; let them do that. They just happened to say some nonsense. If you feel compelled to speak up, you can let them know you don’t agree, and move on. The next time you say nonsense, you can appreciate people extending you the same grace.

If you trust someone’s character, you don’t need to hear them say, “I didn’t mean that!” to know it.