After saying you’re okay on your first day
On your first day, you may say you’re okay to unfamiliar people, then feel worn out later.
Scenes
- You say you’re okay first — On your first day, you’re busy learning names and saying hello. When someone asks if you’re okay, you say yes right away.
- The answer comes fast, but the feeling stays — Saying you’re okay keeps the conversation going, but it doesn’t make unfamiliarity or nerves disappear.
- You laugh, then grow quiet — Even while laughing along with coworkers at lunch, you may not have a moment to notice whether you feel at ease.
- Feelings need names — Naming a feeling, like nerves or awkwardness, can make a vague feeling a little clearer.
- So all that’s left isn’t pretending you were okay — Tonight, think of one moment you said you were okay, and silently choose a word that comes close to how you felt.
Stories by Dalbit
- Dalbit
- When a notification comes in, my shoulders tense up first.
- On payday, I want to ask how you are first
- When I think of my child’s report card, I end up grading myself too.
- After hearing about my friend, my own day feels small.
- Even in the salon mirror, the silence between me and my husband follows me.
- Folding laundry, I start worrying about my child again
- In the family chat, it’s always Mom who speaks
- When the elevator doors close, I want a moment alone.