Sometimes it is difficult because I just don't know! I am pretty in tune with my body, but I have to admit I am not very in tune with my emotional self.
Sometimes it is difficult to answer that question because I am feeling TOO MANY things all at once, which is also confusing.
Sometimes it is difficult because I am the type of person who is gonna tell you all about it, and sometimes people are just being polite and don't really want to know ALL ABOUT IT.:)
A few weeks ago at church I was having a really hard day and a friend asked me "the question". I replied in a non-committal fashion and said "oh I'm just tired." This is my response A LOT. Partly because it is ALWAYS TRUE, and partly because it is short and easy to say.:) After I answered this friend though and was walking down the hall I started to make a list of all the things I was really feeling. IT WAS LONG! And almost contradictory!
This morning I woke up feeling similar feelings, so go ahead and ask me....
"Clair! How are you today!"
"Hi friend! Let me tell you!....
Today I feel:
tired
overwhelmed
excited for the future
terrified of the future
my tummy hurts
I need to take better care of myself
I need to take my herbs and vitamins and eat a million green fibrous foods today
Why is fiber such a bad sounding word?
I love my kids
THEY ARE SO ADORABLE!
Alice has been such a buddy to me lately, so many cuddles and kisses and "I love yous"
I wish I was a better Mum
I am so tired of not being able to exercise
Yesterday I went to the temple and had to go home after 30 min because my tummy started contracting in an unfun way
I love BJ
I want chickens
I want to jump to six years from now when we are out of debt and buying a house again
I have no idea what the future holds for us
I have so many plans for the future!
I want to start a swing dance club next year with BJ
I want to only focus on getting out of debt
I want to craft and sew all day
I want to sleep all day
I want to go hike the Y today
I want to be like everyone else and eat junk
I want to be so healthy so I don't die when I am 53 like my Dad did
I want to live closer to family
Sometimes it is nice to not live by family and feel obligated to hang out all the time
I want a house again
I can't wait to move!
I am so nervous about moving and packing and my body being OK with all the physical exertion
I can't wait to see my Heidi Rosalind this summer!
I wonder what color hair she will have
So those are all the things I am thinking and feeling this morning in this moment. Well, some of them.:) Looking at that list I feel I am SUCH A WOMAN.:)
TODAY'S CHALLENGE: What is your response to THE QUESTION("How are you today?")? Are you always honest? Do you even really think about how you are or just answer something without thinking about it? I wanna know! Today is Thursday! Can you believe it!?!
When SarahLynne lost her baby Luke to SIDS, I went to see her and asked this horrible question. What can a woman say when her baby just went home? Terrible question. I learned after that to say, "It's good to see you" which is really what I am saying in my heart.
ReplyDeleteI like that.
DeleteThat's a good alternate. I often ask "how are you doing?", but as a guy it's just as normal to ask, "what's going on?" or something synonymous. From people who are focused on the operations of things I'll generally get a good, relevant response. At work, it will be something like,
ReplyDelete"I just boosted channel volume by 15% without losing quality!"
and then I can say,
"You should get a medal!"
"What's going on?" can also elicit a less frustrated response when times are tough. The question disconnects events from the feeling they foment.
I'll admit, I almost always ask this question and don't expect a "real" answer, although if they give me one I'm always happy to listen. :) And I never really answer with a "real" answer, either. I always want to, I always have my "real" answer on the tip of my tongue, and some days it's all I can do to hold it in (whether good or bad), but mostly I figure if they really want to know they'll ask a follow-up question, we'll have a real conversation and I can let it all out there. :) I was born and raised in a state where "how ya doin'?" is just the way you say hello.
ReplyDeleteHa! I almost never qualify the question with "today"? I just ask, "how are you"? I'll usually reply honestly, if not in full detail. :) If it's a friend who asks me and I can see that they're not still on the move when they ask then I'll give a full answer . . . without a follow up. haha It's partly because I'm a terrible liar. I can't say that I'm doing well when I'm not. I must really stay aware of my emotions b/c I can always give an accurate answer at any given moment. On Easter Sunday this year a fellow member of the R.S. presidency asked me how my Easter had been. I responded that it hadn't been that good because it hadn't. For real - my 5 year old had had a royal meltdown. As for my intentions when I ask, unless I am on the move and am asking in passing I always hope for a real answer. Is that weird?
ReplyDeleteno, I think that is genuine interest.:)
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