Each time I am asked “How are you?” I pause, skip over the standard of “Fine how’re you?” and make a conscious choice of how I truly am willing to live my life. Often the word grateful comes to mind and out my mouth.
Then I ask my response, “What are you choosing?”
My impression has been that most people answer the “How are you?” greeting with the cultural standard of “Fine, how are you?” as a way of avoiding feelings and instead going into a neutral, not really authentic role. Rehearsed lines in a play work fine for the play, but can be a way of avoiding the richness and deep beauty of life that is here and now.
When you greet someone, what is your intention? Are you fostering life? Avoiding? Directing? Accepting?
This type of self awareness can be both humbling and powerful. Each choice we make whether conscious or subconscious finds form immediately. Using practices to shape healthy, loving habits is how we live whether we are conscious of our thoughts and words and feelings. With commitment to intentional life—chosen thoughts, feelings, behaviors—-we resume our true authority and nature, which is unlimited love.
Knowing I am unlimited love I stop to use my infinite nature and choose each time I am asked, how are you?
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This post was previously published on The Father Connection.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
What Does Being in Love and Loving Someone Really Mean? | My 9-Year-Old Accidentally Explained Why His Mom Divorced Me | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | The Internal Struggle Men Battle in Silence |
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