‘I’m Fine’ and Other Lies I’ve Told Myself at 9AM.

Some days start with intention. Others start with pretending. You pour your coffee, stare blankly at your screen, and tell yourself, “I’m fine.” Three emails in, you're over it. But you’ve said it out loud now — so it must be true, right?

Let’s be honest: 'I’m fine' is emotional duct tape. It’s what we say when we don’t have the energy, time, or permission to tell the truth. It’s survival-speak. It lets us move through meetings, car rides, small talk, and surface-level check-ins without unraveling.

But when 'I’m fine' becomes your default setting, you start losing track of how you actually are. You become disconnected from your own internal dashboard. Suddenly you’re burned out and shocked by it — like it came out of nowhere. (It didn’t.)

There’s power in pausing before the autopilot kicks in. In asking yourself: what am I actually feeling? What am I needing? Even if the answer is 'I don’t know,' that’s already more honest than fine.

Being real with yourself doesn’t mean falling apart at every turn. It means giving yourself permission to check in. To swap performance for presence. And maybe — on a good day — to actually ask for what you need.

So next time you hear yourself say 'I’m fine,' pause. Take a breath. Consider whether that’s true — or just the most convenient script. Because you deserve more than fine. You deserve honest. And some peace before noon would be nice, too.