The phrase "to soften the blow" means to make a difficult or unpleasant situation less harsh or upsetting by providing some comfort or gentle approach. Full definition
A diet high in potassium helps soften the blow of a high - sodium diet by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. (mindbodygreen.com)
Her salary will drop but she can soften the blow by starting a transition to retirement pension, and making small monthly withdrawals to top up her income. (moneysmart.gov.au)
There's no future income or nearly as much time to soften the blow from bear markets. (awealthofcommonsense.com)