How are you?

When someone asks  "how are you?", how do you respond to the question? Do you respond with a comment involving your pain? Do you have to take the time to think about how you are doing before you answer the question? 

When someone asks how you are doing, do you ever make comments like "my eyes are brown today" or "I woke up short this morning!"? No you don't.  You can't change your eye colour right? No you can't. You can't change how tall you are or how tall you aren't. Can you change that pain is a part of your life now? No...you can't change that either. You accept that your eyes are whatever colour they are, and you accept how tall you are or aren't, but can you accept that pain is now in your life too?

The thing with chronic pain is that it's chronic. That means it is daily, life-long and now a part of who you are, no different than the colour of your eyes or how tall you are.  Pain now belongs to you as a part of your identity.  I know this may sound odd but please give it a chance...what if you were to respond "I'm good thank you" every time, now matter how you are feeling? 

Yes...you may be in pain, but you're still fine right? If it wasn't for the pain, you would answer the question "how are you?" differently wouldn't you? So take your pain out of the equation. Don't let your pain dictate how you are doing. Answer the question "how are you?" without giving your pain consideration in your well-being.

Your pain will have less control over your life when you no longer allow it to negatively impact your thoughts on your life and your well-being. So, I ask you....how are you?

just my opinion
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take good care of you