FINE - A 4 letter Word | Adventures with Lora

FINE is the most unexpressive word used today in the English language.

How are you? Fine.

Fine has become an automatic response whenever someone asks, How are you?

Fine no longer means good. Fine is a blank, nothing answer into what we are actually feeling in that moment. As a society, we’ve lost our ability to convey our true expressions.

Fine is a way of saying, “I’m not going to tell you what’s really going on with me. I’ll play it safe and say fine.”

There are two pieces to this.

(1) Do you really want to know how someone is doing?

If yes, ask a more specific question instead. One to try is, What are you excited about today? This is my favorite question to ask any cashier. Since they are in customer service, they are required to greet you in a kind manner. However, few people are curious about their day.

(2) Will you fully express what you are going through when asked, How are you?

We’re so afraid to convey our true emotions and be vulnerable. What will someone think if I say I’m having a bad day? Will someone really want to hear about my new job promotion? Or, I’m troubleshooting an IT issue, and they think I’m stupid?

It’s what people say when they can’t express themselves. How are you? Fine.

As you go through this next week, I challenge you to change your attention in both how you greet someone and what your response is. Let me know how this changes the dynamics of your conversation.

It’s time to get real. Be real. Be courageous. Have a real conversation, not an artificial one.

Want to learn how to be more present and authentic in your conversations? Join me for a strategy session.

Wishing you an abundant, joyful, and prosperous day!