A Conversation Could Change A Life

Interactions between people can be quite superficial at times. The greeting "How Are You" can be responded to routinely with the very same words. There is a world of possibilities open to us if we can communicate more meaningfully with people. Here is your invitation to open a conversation that could change a life.

Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash

Transcript

Dear friends,

I hope this meditation will provide each of us with an opportunity for good.

A chance to discover if someone we know needs a little more attention than might be thought at first glance.

Watching out for each other can make such a difference.

It could change someone's life or even save someone's life.

We all know how superficial our interactions can be.

We meet someone with the greeting,

How are you?

Admittedly,

We are not expecting a live story in reply.

But the reply can frequently be just a repeat of the question,

How are you?

An unoffensive,

Simple little exchange,

Which simply means,

Hello,

Hello.

Hopefully we can do more than this.

Maybe in the days ahead,

You would select someone you know and,

In a more meaningful way,

Ask them how they are doing.

Are they okay?

Hopefully they will notice the difference between a basic,

How are you,

And your expression of real interest.

They might come back to you to say that there is something,

Something on their minds that they would like to share.

My sister Celia in Australia tells me that there they have an annual,

Are you okay,

Day.

On the second Thursday in September,

Advertised by the letters are you okay,

This question is encouraged by the wearing of armbands,

Headbands,

T-shirts,

Stickers,

And who knows what else.

All of this is designed to remove any stigma attached to sharing our real feelings with someone who asks us how we are doing,

And they ask it in an interested way.

But we don't have to confine our interest in other people to one day in the year.

Today,

Tomorrow,

Any day,

And every day,

Any of us can look to someone with real interest and ask if everything is going alright.

The subtitle to the Australian Are You Okay Project are these words.

A conversation could change a life.

A conversation could change a life.

What a thought.

Indeed it could,

And each of us has the power to start such a conversation.

May it be you.

May it be me.

May it be this week.

Namaste.

Reviews

Short but potent. I have changed my approach to "are you okay 👌 "

I love this! A conversation that can change a life 💙

Thanks for sharing this Tony !
It’s a great reminder to reach out and listen 💜

It's all about empathy and caring towards each other. We are so used to automatic greetings and responses. I loved the 'how r u doing' campaign to inspire people to start a meaningful conversation. I will incorporate this practice going forward. Thanks, Tony. ❤ 🙏

Love your questions 💕🙏🫶RUOK 👍Thank you for your gentle and caring meditations. 🌸📞

That is a great idea.
“RUOK” . Thank you for a meaningful talk . It’s so needed in today’s world .

A conversation can change a life. Those words are so powerful.

Thoughtful caring much more than just ok 👌 Namaste 🙏🏻
🤗🎅🇨🇦🖖👍👌

Such wise and simple words coming from a guide with a sincere and beautiful voice….

A nice reminder that we all have the power to make a difference however small it may seem at the time it could literally safe a life 🙏

Oh Tony so good to meditate with you today! I’ve missed you.
What a beautiful reminder of reaching out and really showing someone you care.
I’ve read the comments and have seen others ask if you are ok, I’m happy to hear you are doing well.
My heat is happy and I am blessed.
Take care and Thank you for all your kindness 🙏🏻💕

Thank you Tony! A mindful “Are you OK?” Can be a powerful thing….

R U OK Tony?

Nice to hear this started a national mental health awareness movement in Australia!

I was teaching on this platform in 20-21 in lockdown and wrote this as my opening greeting in all of my yoga classes! It was like a welcome international can opener ! Someone actually cared enough to ask as some of my students who joined would say!! They began sharing this among their circles too!! Being a former school teacher, letters forming words was a fun exercise for early learners and later learners alike. Meaningful and memorable these letters offer opportunities for release, renewed and new relationships! Thank you for sharing what Australia does to help its citizens!! Namaste!!

As always, thought provoking and genuinely makes me feel like I can change the works.
I’m in Australia. R U OK? Day is a great, annual reminder that a small effort can change a life. If you, or someone you know needs help for their mental health there are people and support programs who can and will assist. That is a large part of the promotions strategy- to follow up with that person to get the help they need. I encourage all of your listeners to find out who can help in their region ( for those in Australia it’s Lifeline, Beyond Blue and The Blackdog Institute, as well as your GP).

Greta advice, Tony. Thanks for the thoughtful reminder.

Thank you for the new words for my life today and for every day!

Very true, indeed. Kind and open interest in a person’s wellbeing do make a difference. Warm greetings. Namaste 🤓🙏🏻

An easy way to make a positive difference. Thank you for the insight.

Thank you Tony, for an encouraging way to express real concern for someone who may need help. Namaste 🙏

Stellar.
Such important thoughts, eloquently put as always. Thank you, Tony.

I certainly remember some of the conversations that saved my life, and I’m sure the other person didn’t know it was so at the time.

This also highlighted something I’ve woven into my life since college - which is the authentic asking of “how are you?” And finding many different phrases for it.
A favorite is “how is your heart?”

May I ask how your heart is doing, whenever you read this and feel up to responding?

Namaste