"Really?"

We live in a culture that wants things to be "real."
Real people.
Real conversations.
Real experiences.
I fall into this category as well. I am in, what I like to call, the transitional generation. The generation between the sugar-coated world and the 100% honest world.
A common conversation with my peers is something like:
"How are you?"
"Good. You?"
"I'm good."
"Are you really?"
This is normal, and I don't think anything is wrong with making sure someone is okay and breaking down facades sometimes, but it can also go too far.
I am the type of person who does not share easily what is going on in my life unless I trust the person I am talking to 100%. Earning that trust is also very difficult, in most cases. People, peers especially, will ask if I am really okay quite often, and due to my habit of saying "yes" even when I am not, they continue pushing. Now, in most instances I am fine with this, depending on the person. Where I think the problem comes in is when it is someone I trust, who I will willing tell anything that is going on and they keep pushing when I say I am okay, because I genuinely am okay. I am not thinking of anyone or any instances in particular, but this does seem common in the culture. It is swinging from a sugar-coated, everything is perfect world to a world where something has to be wrong, regardless of the situation. Yes, there is usually something wrong in my life, but that does not mean I am not doing fantastic. Maybe I am a little stressed, but that does not mean that when I said I was doing great I was lying.
In a world where everyone is constantly asking, "really?" it is hard to have a positive outlook on life. It can feel like we have to come up with a reason for something to be wrong in order for anyone to believe us.
Honestly, this needs to stop. If someone says they're great, ask why, and celebrate with them! Of course, if someone says they're not okay, mourn with them and help them or find them someone who can help. This does not mean stop checking in on friends or stop asking hard question. By all means, keep doing that! But it does mean accepting their answers when they are actually having a good day, even if their world is falling apart around them. Support them in their positive outlook on life, even if it doesn't make sense. It all comes down to trust, which is a tricky subject in my life, but it is important to any type of relationship.