Scariest question ever?
It’s not “When can I meet your parents?”— or the ever-so-awful “Paper or plastic?” It’s even worse…
“What are you doing?”
My answer to this question is usually a lie…
“Nothing.”
Answering this question is like saying you’re fine when someone asks how you’re doing. Instead of venting about frustration or expressing excitement, we hit them with a vague response. ‘I’m okay’, ‘Great! How are you?’
I read a Quiet Revolution article that said introverts avoid small talk because there’s no meaning behind the conversation, and it feels forced. This is true. The author, Jennifer Granneman, dropped a real gem with:
“In reality, most introverts are drained by small talk because it feels fake and meaningless. When you exchange pleasantries or chat about the weather to avoid silence, you don’t learn anything new or gain a better understanding of your conversation partner.”
Amirite?! The “scariest question ever” also reminds me of sneaky children. It’s what I ask when my nephews get too quiet, and the question my mama asked me when I took too long to do what she told me to do. Other than avoiding conversations all together, I stick with my go-to answer: ‘nothing‘. However, I’m rarely ever simply not doing anything.
What I’m Actually Doing When I Say “Nothing”
- Preparing to take a nap
- Waking up from a nap
- Writing a blog post
- Drafting a social media campaign
- Executing a social media campaign
- Minding my own business
- Overthinking
- Wasting valuable time on Facebook
- Daydreaming
- Watching a webinar
- Re-cooperating from a serious Netflix session
- Planning a mental health break
- Drinking before an appropriate time of day
- Battling myself in a dance off
- Listening to the same song for the 4th time
Is small talk a nightmare for you? How do you answer the scariest question ever?
