You don’t have to hide the way that you’re feeling, whether it’s good or not so good. Are you tired today? That’s okay, talk about it. Are you happy and energetic? Great! Spread your joy. Are you not at the top of your game? It happens, just let someone know.
We are all human, and we all experience so many different feelings and emotions. For some reason, though, we don’t like to talk about them. We have that standard greeting of, “Hi! How are you today?” We’re not really asking, though, nor are we expecting a real answer.
I don’t know about you, but when someone gives me a real answer to that question, I feel so much more connected to them on a human level. As a bartender, I have a lot of regulars who come in a few times a week. I always ask them how they’ve been, and I always genuinely want to know the answer. I’ve never been great at answering that question honestly myself, though, but it’s something I’m working on.
Since I’ve started writing this blog last year, I’ve really tried focusing on my honesty and vulnerability. For me, that’s meant staying in touch with my emotions and talking about them openly. I try to be as candid as possible when someone asks me how I am. I don’t want a fake answer when I ask, so why should I give one? If I’m not feeling great at work, I’ll be honest about it to my guests. It doesn’t mean I’ll let it affect my work, but I don’t want to lie and give that standard response of “I’m well, thanks!” The same goes for my personal life. If my friends are asking me how I am, I know they actually want to know. I actually want to tell them, too.
Sharing how you’re feeling is harder than brushing past it. It requires us to unlearn our standard response and let down our walls for a moment. When we’re honest with how we’re feeling, though, it brings us closer together as people. It reminds us that we’re all human, and we’re all working our way through life. We don’t always have good days, but we also don’t always have bad ones. Next time someone asks you how you’re doing, try giving an honest response. You don’t have to unload everything you’re going through, but you can admit if you’re tired, if it’s been a long week, if you’re just alright, or even if you’re having a fantastic day.
As always, stay safe + stay healthy.
Xo,
Kayla W