Perhaps the first thing that we do in the morning is to check our phones. And although it is highly inadvisable a routine, many of us still tend to reach for our phones while rubbing our eyes in the morning. And for those you still do so, what better way to start the day with, if not with a “Good morning”. Let’s see about Responding to Good Morning Messages.
A good morning greeting is a subtle reminder that a new day has begun. Time to shrug off the laziness from the previous night, get to work, and give your best shot. Even if you simply plan to just spend your day on the bed, a ‘good morning’ is a cue to yourself to mark the beginning of another day. It also means that the person who just wished you acknowledges your presence. Either way and as simple as it might sound, one should be mindful about the way he or she responds to a ‘Good Morning’ greeting.
Although the way we greet good morning back depends on the person that we are greeting hence and varies from person to person, certain things should be kept in mind irrespective of the person we are wishing to.
- For instance, it requires you to reciprocate the same (friendly) terms. That is to say that if someone greets you in the morning, whoever that person might be, it is extremely rude to turn your face away and not reply to anything at all.
- Secondly, avoid retorting with something negative. For instance, someone wishes you “Good morning, have a great day ahead”, you are not expected to say “OF course I will not, I know it will go disastrous, hope it sucks for you too”.
- Thirdly, always maintain basic courtesy and etiquette. One does not need to learn rocket science to do so.
In Formal setups:
It is extremely important that in informal cases, we at least maintain the basic etiquette and greet politely. However, one can observe different kinds of patterns in responding to good morning even if you are bound within the same office. Although it is expected that you first greet Good morning to your boss, yet when they do so, reply with utmost politeness and with a smile on your face. Some of the replies that you can give are:
- “Good morning sir/madam/ma’am”
- “Good morning to you too.”
Do not worry about the times your boss yells at you for a file that you lost or a task that you could not complete. Because in these situations, he or she would not greet you either!
While greeting your colleague back, although you need to be formal too, yet you can informally greet those with whom you have turned friends. Some of the responses might be:
- “Morning”
- “Good morning to you too”
- “Morning. Hope you had a great weekend”
- “Good morning. How have you been?” (If you have not seen each other in days)
- “Morning. How is it going?”
In Informal Setups:
In the case of informal setups, you can be more lenient and wish in several other ways instead of a simple “Good morning to you too”
Given below are some phrases which mean the same as ‘good morning’ yet said differently:
- Look Alive– this phrase means to urge someone to hasten up and get ready or get moving.
- Look at what the cat dragged in the temperament of this phrase is light-hearted and can be used by a family member to jokingly comment as someone enters the room with a shabby appearance just after waking up. To which you might reply “Oh I see. Well, I did not get the time to freshen up”
- Rise and Shine– used to ask someone to get up out of bed. It is generally used by the elders or the family to wake the children up from sleep.
- Top of the morning to you– this phrase means the best of the morning to someone. Originated in Ireland and now used worldwide, it can be considered as one of the fun ways to greet in the morning. One of the commonest replies to this phrase is “And the rest of the day to yourself”
- Wakey, wakey, eggs, and bakey– another cool way of saying good morning is this phrase that again is widely used in the States. This means, ‘wake up soon so that you can have eggs and bacon. One announces breakfast time while using this phrase in a familial setup, where, say, a parent wakes his or her child up for breakfast.
Apart from these other common phrases can also be used in informal morning greetings. Some of which are:
- “Wake up sleepy head” or” Wakey wakey, sleepyhead”
- “Good morning, sunshine”
- “Morning. I wish you a pleasant day ahead”
- “Have a great day ahead”
- “What a pleasant morning we are having”
- “Good morning. How is it going so far?”
For Spouses/Partners
Who does not like to receive ‘good mornings’ from a loved one, whether in person or virtually? It can simply light someone’s mood and catapult from 0 to 10. Given below are some of the replies you can give to your partner, crush, or spouse:
- “Good morning to you too beautiful/handsome/sweetheart – a simple way or replying to your lover.
- “Good morning, honey. What woke you up so early?” – it can be a good way to express concern for your partner and to start a pleasant conversation in the morning.
- “Morning, sunshine. This made my day already” – it can be a good way to let your partner know that he or she has an impact on your life.
- “Wakey, wakey sleepyhead, have a great day ahead”- it can be used to reply to a crush while wishing the best for him or her ahead, subtly.
- “My mornings are dull without you” – another way to acknowledge the presence of someone in your life, often more flirtatiously.
- “Good morning. I wish I were there to ‘rise and shine’ with you”- as already mentioned above, the phrase ‘rise and shine’ this phrase is used to wake someone up from bed. On a second note, it can also mean that you wish to grow, shine and be the best that you can be, together; literally. Hence, it can also have a flirty interpretation at times.
- “Woke up dreaming about you” – this can be a romantic way to wish your partner good morning back. It shows that you think about your partner consciously and subconsciously.
- “Good morning sunshine, your text made my gloomy morning bright too” – it makes your partner feel how special they made you feel.
Finally, although this category is often not used, there are instances when you receive morning texts from people who annoy you or you are simply not interested in them and want to ignore them. In such cases, given below are some phrases that you might use:
- “Morning” – although used very frequently in informal cases, one word ‘morning’ reply at times can also sound cold and dry. It might also indicate that you are not interested in further conversation.
- “Morning, but I do not appreciate this” – supposedly someone just sent you a lengthy message in the morning, expressing his or her feelings even after repeatedly telling you that you are not interested in them. In such cases, you can send something like this, expecting the other person to not send anything like that again. Additionally, if someone sends you a flirtatious or romantic greeting, you can as well reply “Ha-ha, thanks. My partner says the same”, even if you are single.
- “Morning. Laters” – it indicates that you are not at all interested in starting a conversation at this moment.
- (No response)- sometimes when you extremely need to ignore a person but do not want to hurt them either, not replying to anything at all might just be the best option. This should send a clear message to the other person that you are not interested in him/her at all. Another option is to reply after a good number of hours or even a day. This should let the other person know that you do not bother to check their texts immediately or daily.
Conclusion
Greeting someone in the morning should not be an extraordinary element of your life, but an ordinary daily routine. There are n number of ways you can wish (someone back) and to the n number of people in your life. In fact, why just to your friends, family or colleagues? Say you met someone at your apartment’s staircase or crossed paths with someone at the park, you can greet that person too. Even if he or she does first, you may at least smile back.
Try using unique and creative words and phrases too. This will not only help you enhance your vocabulary and speaking skills but also can sharpen your communication skills.
Finally, in this space-age device, when an exchange of “Good morning” already happens over texts and before you meet the person face to face, a number of technical, modern, and simple ways can be used. Sending GIFs, stickers, some inspiring song/video, or perhaps some motivational quotes can be a great way to wish someone ‘good morning’ and acknowledge their presence in your life. Try all of these creative ways because sometimes words just aren’t enough.
