01/28/2026
About a year ago, Jennifer C. Veilleux set a goal for herself: She would try never to answer “I’m fine” or “I’m good” if she wasn’t really feeling that way. When she catches those words rolling out of her mouth—which still happens occasionally—she corrects herself and tells the other person she's trying to avoid sticking to the script we all generally expect. If you've ever struggled to respond to "how are you" when you aren't feeling your best, this Time article might help you move through those interactions with a better sense for what to say.
One option: “I’m upright—that’s about all I can say."