The Aftermath Of Being Asked “Are You Okay?”
I was not “fine until you asked” and now I know why
If emotion rises from the pit of your stomach to the top of your throat and leaks out of your eyes when someone asks, “Are you okay?” You aren’t alone.
I’m not talking about the routine conversation staple when people ask, “How are you?” without expecting a real answer. Good, how are you? In moments when we know this is just a polite greeting, we can hold it together and keep responses brief.
Do you really want to know how I am?
But when someone truly notices us, picking up on emotions we try hard to stifle, and asks intentionally if we are okay, a major shift occurs. The “everything is fine” stiff upper lip can be overpowered by those three little words. Here comes an emotional downpour!
I was okay until you asked me that.
But the truth is, if being asked, “Are you okay?” unleashes a deep emotional response like a broken dam, we weren’t “fine until someone asked.” We were just pretending to be.
Especially when asked during times of pain, stress, or triggering events. Because deep down we want to know that other people care about us and our experiences, and this question just might be a sign that someone does.
