How do you respond when you’re asked, ‘How are you?’

Great.

Good.

Okay.

Or

Not so good.

Struggling.

Having a hard day.

Current culture tends to reward positive responses, and the media has shaped people’s minds to think that you should always be happy and feel great, and if you’re not, then something must be wrong with you.

So, how are you supposed to respond when you’re not having a good day?

It can be challenging and depends on who you want to share your struggles with. For some, admitting to struggles is a sign of weakness, so they choose to live behind a thin veneer of pretense. The truth is that everyone has hard days and challenges they are dealing with. That’s just part of the human condition.

Answering the ‘How are you?’ question can also be a little tricky because you have to gauge the person asking you the question. Are they asking just to be polite, or do they really care and want to know?

If you feel they’re just asking to be polite, then the choice is yours. But if you think they really care, then if you’re having a down day, venture to share the truth.

Allowing yourself the freedom to express how you really feel can be difficult because there is a fear that you’ll be judged, but keep in mind that you’ll be judged either way. Everyone knows that no one is always great, so when you have the opportunity and safety to share how you really feel, then do so. You might just give someone else a safe place to share how they really feel, too.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please share it with one person you love.