Not Too Bad

Recently during my everyday contact with people, I was struck by the most common reply received after an initial greeting of “Hello, how are you?” or “Hey, how are you doing?” What was said most often was, “Not too bad”. Now, you might say, “Well, what’s the issue with that response?” I am just wondering why that answer would be put forth so frequently instead of a more positive response. On a few occasions after receiving the response of “Not too bad” my husband said, “Well, isn’t ‘not too bad’ the same as “Pretty good”? The people we asked looked at us smiling interestingly and said, “Sure, I guess so.” So, after asking that question we asked, “Well why wouldn’t you just say that?” The most common answer was, “I have no idea, I just didn’t think about it.”

Here is my question. Why do we find it so incredibly easy to respond using a negative word like bad, as opposed to using positive words like good, great, couldn’t be better, if things were any better I’d have to be twins, and the list goes on and on which is my point? Why would we choose negativity in our communication when we really are not intending to be negative? Perhaps it is because we don’t place value on negative comments. Maybe most people think it probably doesn’t really mean anything to say ‘not too bad’. It is the subtleness of the usage if negativity that is disturbing.

Being thoughtful of the words used in our conversations is of great importance in that it is a reflection of what thoughts we are holding. If our first response is “Not too bad” what thoughts are we holding? Did we think that we were going to experience a sort-of-bad day or a not-great day? In our lackadaisical approach to conversation we fall into the grips of the water-cooler chat where we repeat what we have heard rather than speaking with knowledge and intention and attention to the words that we use. Our lives reflect the usage of negativity in words and behavior but most of us do not connect this usage with the outcome. If you think you had a really “ugly” day and things did not go your way, you can be assured that negativity was involved at some point. If you are constantly dwelling on thoughts of fear, worry, anger, hate, and failure, you will become depressed and unhappy.

The words that we use are like the ingredients of a recipe. If the outcome of the dessert recipe (our reality) is to be sweet, then we should make the effort to use sugar (positive), instead of salt (negative). We, alone, are responsible for what we think, say and do. We all make choices every minute of every day. Remember, your life is what your thoughts make of it. Is your reality “Not too bad…?” Positive thinking is at the very least a habit. Maybe it deserves your consideration.

“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” ~PHIL 4:8~

”All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think…we become.” ~Buddha~

About the Author:
Savannah Blue is a Freelance Writer, a Spiritual Comforter, Motivator and Life Coach. I live at the beach with the love of my life (my husband) and work from home doing what I love most..Helping others live their Dreams!