You can also use these responses if you are talking to someone at work, such as a coworker, a client, or your boss.

This is a good response if you do not want to lie about how you are feeling, but you do not want to be too honest or personal with the person.

You can also smile or nod if you want to appear friendly.

You may also be honest and tell a coworker or peer you are close with how you are actually feeling.

For example, you may respond, “Actually, I’ve been feeling a little down lately. I think I might be struggling with stress and anxiety” if you have not been feeling well or like yourself. You may respond, “You know, I’ve been feeling great. I finally have a job I love and I’m feeling more confident these days” if you are feeling positive and happy.

You should also give an honest answer to any other medical professionals, such as a nurse or a paramedic. If you are not feeling well, they need to know that so they can help you to feel better.

Only use this response if you want to talk about your sickness or illness with the person. It is usually a prompt for the other person to find out more and try to make you feel better.

You can also say, “I appreciate that you asked how I was, thank you” or “Thanks for listening. ”

For example, you may say, “I’m fine, thanks for asking. How are you?” or “I’m okay, thanks. How about you?” For some people, if you ask them the same question, they may nod and say “I’m good” or “I’m fine” and then be on their way. Don’t be discouraged; asking how someone is doing is sometimes not taken as a real invitation to say much.

You may give a detailed answer if you want to develop your relationship with the person on a deeper level and become closer to them. Be cautious about opening up just because you feel awkward and don’t really feel close to the person.

If you are around others in a group setting, you may opt for a brief, polite response as you it may not be appropriate for you to give a long winded or personal answer in front of others. In most cases, if you are among friends or family, giving a detailed response may be okay. If you are around coworkers, peers, or authority figures, a more polite, short response may be the way to go.

If the person does not make eye contact or brief eye contact and is walking by you, they may not be interested in a long chat. In this case, you may opt for a brief, short response so the situation does not become awkward.