How Are You Today?
How are you today? It's a question that we ask people every day. We don't want a real answer to this question. We want answers like "great," "good," "fantastic," "wonderful," or even answers like "I've been better," "tired," "stressed," "Oh, ya know... living the dream" (said sarcastically). Even blatantly negative answers are okay, as long as they are just a word or two. Anything beyond the socially acceptable trite answers, we don't really want to know because the question isn't an honest one. It's a placeholder. It's something we say so we don't have to experience the "awkward silence." Yet, this phrase isn't just used in casual conversation. Most of the depression self-help books and programs recommend some form of this question as a daily "check-in." Even many of my therapists have used a version of this question:...
