Get a Meaningful Response to “How Are You?”
Are you tired of asking “How are you?”, only to be met with a one word answer?
Are you over giving a fake answer because it’s the norm?
How many times do you say “I’m fine” or “good”? Even when you aren’t fine?
Do you ever find it difficult to come up with an interesting answer to “How are things going?”?
Try this structure during your next check in with your partner, coworker, child, or even yourself. Picture a rose. There’s a woody stem, thorns, leaves, flower buds, and roses. Let’s use some of these parts to come up with a meaningful and multifaceted response.
Step 1: Buds
The bud is a new rose waiting to blossom. It’s there- you can see it and touch it, but the leaves aren’t opened. So you can see a bud, but you might not know exactly what color rose it will be.
For your check in- a bud can be anything you are thinking about, pondering, but haven’t put into action yet.
🌱 Goals
🌱 TikTok that got you thinking
🌱 Inspiration for your house
🌱 Insight gained on a situation
🌱 Dreams & Hopes for future
🌱 New ideas for work, kids, holidays
Step 2: Thorns
A thorn is sharp and painful that exist on all roses. Sometimes stores cut them off, but in nature all roses have thorns.
For your check in - a thorn doesn’t have to be something “bad”.
🌵Challenges at work or home
🌵Difficulties with dog training
🌵Asking for support
🌵A hard conversation you had or want to have
🌵Signs that change is needed
🌵Frustration with a friend who’s always late
Step 3: Roses
A rose is a beautiful sweet smelling flower with lots of layered leaves. For your check in- a rose can be something exciting, a chance to brag, or a moment that made the day a little less terrible/boring.
🌹 Highlights
🌹 Share something you liked on social media
🌹 “I surprised myself when I was able to…”
🌹 Moment that made you laugh
🌹 Something that went as planned
🌹 Memory that made you smile or think
Try it out with yourself and others. You can ask it directly “were there any thorns today?”. Add it to the top of every journey entry. Practice so you feel prepared at brunch or your work happy hour. When someone says “it was good”, now you have ways to follow up and lead to more meaningful conversation. Modeling the rose, bud, and thorns helps us learn a new way to communicate. Hopefully this can leave you feeling more connected and understood.
Find these and more tips on our Instagram @keytherapywellness
Rose & Thorns: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6rELoys8iS/?igsh=MXVsZGhtYjM5c2pyYw==