How are you doing today?

YES, when I ask I am serious about wanting to know. If I feel I don't want to know (for whatever reason) I just don't ask!!! I have one friend that I NEVER ask....because I'm depressed by the time she finishes 2 hours later. I also don't ask her simple questions for the same reason. Ask her for the time & you'll learn how to make a watch tea, please know that if you need someone to talk to, I'm only an email away!!! So, how are you doing today, my friend???

aww--teapot...can I give you a big virtual hug? ((((((((hugs)))))))) and that's truly from my heart. I have to laugh though with this discussion. I think it's only human nature and somewhere along the line the polite "etiquette" thing to do to ask when we bump into someone to ask how they are...just like in many instances when being introduced to someone we shake hands (where that idea came from no idea). Like you out of habit, if someone asks how I am, I'll automatically say, "Fine" even if I feel like crud..LOL But yep, oh yep...I've come across people (thankfully not TOO many) who when you ask how they are they proceed to tell you every medical problem they've had since they were born, and after their bantering it makes me think ...crap...sorry I asked--for those people, when I bump into them again, I refuse to ask them how they are...not out of rudeness, I just don't want to listen about their boil on their nose, their diarrhea problem, their rash on their a$$, their snots coming out of their nose like glue..and so forth.

i am sort of not keeping well but when some body asks me,how i am feeling,i say am fine(as i donot want anybody pity).it makes me feel all the more depressed but i love talking to friends.it somehow helps me in more than than one way.makes me more light-hearted and stress free.i love listening to my friends and that includes you.

Hi there, I can certainly relate to your posting. It is often the very first thing that we say to people upon meeting them, but you are absolutely right that most people do not stop to hear or even consider the answer that you give. Sometimes, just as others are, I am also guilty of treating it just like a greeting. However, I do have a small the group of friends, that are close enough to one another that we're able to know just by seeing them, that they are upset or something is bothering them. With that particular core group of friends, I do genuinely want to know how they are, and they will genuinely listen to how I am. Now, that does not mean that I will lay out my laundry list of problems every time I am asked how I am but it does mean that I am able to talk if I need to. If I'm really in a bad place at the moment I'm certainly more than free, to say that to those particular people. If I say today was a really crappy day... They will leave it up to me as to whether I want to or need to talk about it, or if I want to distract my mind by focusing on another topic. So my dear friend, I guess the long and the short answer to that was, it depends on the person that is asking. My close friends, want to know the truth. And because they are so close, they already know the answer without me telling them anyway. That's just my 2¢ worth, happy posting!

Of course why not? I am always serious about it. I wish to know really- how are you doing today? May be you are thinking me emotional or not. But I always want to know from my friends my relatives, how they are really doing? I try to reach to truth of life, life of everyone my friends and relatives or limit who feels comfort to say. The same for you- How are you doing today?

Hi there! Your topic really make sense. I would say very simple and yet interesting. To be honest, I laughed on the last part because sometimes I ask a person "How are you doing today?" but I don't really mean it. haha...well, I would say that I just asked because I don't have anything to say. By the way,I am sorry to here about your feelings...you know what? I am a kind of person who don't really participate in discussions...but when I saw your topic it caught my attention, maybe because I don't feel good today. Well, I hope tomorrow will be different. Goodluck to both of us:-)

Some words we use in our dialy lives are that does'nt means anything. So never get upset with all the persons around you. And think that you are comming to this world alone and you have to go away from there alone. So advice is to never hope from some body. And when you live your life alone then you enjoy for what you do.

Actually, I consider myself to be somewhat of a counselor and I love to listen and try to lift people's spirits. The only thing that annoys me is when they seem to want to go on and on, just for the sake of getting attention, which usually leads them to exaggerate. I also do not like it when someone just comes over to me and starts talking away while I am reading or something. If they say, excuse me, can we talk for a minute, that is fine. I usually won't say no, but if they come and just start babbling, then I get irritated. So I guess my answer would be yes, when I ask, I really want to know.

We have the word "kumusta" in my language... which means "how are you"... and the polite answer would always be a positive one... i don't remember someone ever telling something negative... I guess that is mainly because... the polite thing to do is say "how do you do?" when meeting someone... and the response should always be a polite one... since most of us do not want to burden others with our own misery...

When I ask this question, I really do care how the person is doing, and even if they are not doing well or something else is going on, I would still want to hear about it, because I would not ask if I were not sincere.

I am doing well today and i have done certain good things today and i meditate nearly four hours today and turned into the spiritual books then came out side to meet friends like you.

My day was exausting not physically but mentally. Everyday i wonder what tomorrow will bring so today really doesnt matter to me. But I often wonder why people really want to know.

Sorry to hear that you have been feeling depressed! I'm feeling a little like that myself! We have just entered the New Year and I have been having some problems with my neighbours and I'm kind of wondering whether I am going to lose my flat! What a way to begin the New Year! There are lots of people that cannot be bothered with the truth of how you are feeling! I'm not one of them but I sometimes get the sense that others consider this as excess baggage! It's good to speak about your problems with friends, that's what they are there for afterall! I hope that things work out for you in this New Year and wish me luck in relation to my flat!! Andrew

I am very sorry to hear that your not very happy. I would just like to say that when I ask someone how they are doing, I am actually curious and would like to hear what they have to say. I understand what you mean though, most days I just say I'm fine because of all the times I have tried to talk to someone about any problems I'm having I seem to only get a response of I'm sorry. I think the same as you: If you don't want to know how I am doing, WHY ASK? Seems pretty pointless to me. I hope that you are feeling happier but if not there are plenty of friends here that I am sure would love to listen to your troubles and help you out (myself included) hope that makes you feel a little better.

When it is a friend of mine, or even someone that I know, I want to know. When I was working retail and would ask, it was more courtesy. Although there were a few, that I really think I might have made a difference with. I am like you and most of the time, just reply fine. If I am really down and have a bad day, sometimes I just start tearing up and want to run. I find that most people are caring and if they are not in a hurry, would listen and try to help if possible.