Years ago, someone introduced me to an interesting meaning for the word FINE: Feelings Inside Not Expressed.
I've never forgotten it.
Throughout my professional career, I learned that listening to what someone says is important. But paying attention to what they don't say can be just as important.
Someone could tell me, “I'm fine,” yet their countenance, their behavior, or a change in how they normally showed up suggested there might be more to the story.
That didn't mean I knew what was wrong. It meant I needed to pay attention.
And sometimes, ask another question.
But What About Us?
How often do we tell someone we're fine because it's easier than explaining what's really happening?
Maybe we don't want to burden anyone. Maybe we haven't figured out what we're feeling. Or maybe we've become so accustomed to saying “I'm fine” that we don't stop to ask ourselves whether it's true.
And sometimes, we really are fine!
There's nothing wrong with choosing what we share or keeping certain feelings private.
But there's a difference between choosing not to share something and choosing not to acknowledge it ourselves.
Look Again
One of the things I've learned along my journey is that we can become very good at noticing changes in other people while overlooking what's happening within ourselves.
That's where the EMBRACE Model™ and the 6 P's of Personal Growth™ become useful.
Sometimes the most important thing we can do is Pause long enough to Evaluate what's happening and Pinpoint what deserves our attention.
Not to fix everything. Not to explain ourselves to everybody.
Simply to be honest with ourselves.
The next time someone asks how you're doing, take a moment before automatically responding, “I'm fine.”
You may still choose those exact words.
But this time, make sure you've checked in with the person who matters in that answer.
You.
🪷 Beside you on the journey,
Jan Davidson
Speaker • Author • Trainer • Creator of the EMBRACE Model™
#EMBRACEYourJourney #FromPauseToProgress #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #IntentionalLiving