Since living in Costa Rica, I’ve become more aware of something subtle but powerful, something I didn’t know I was missing until I experienced it daily: the way people greet each other. Not just in person, but in every text message, phone call, or passing interaction. The simple act of saying, “Hola, ¿cómo estás?” or “Buenos días, ¿todo bien?” isn’t just polite, it’s a moment of presence. A moment of acknowledgment. A moment of connection.
American communication, especially via text, tends to skip right to the point. Efficient? Sure. But that feeling of warmth or soul truly creates something more than I can express. A message might read, “Did you get my email?” or “Can you send that picture?” with no greeting, no check-in, no pause for human exchange. It’s fast-paced, to the point, and completely transactional.
But Costa Ricans don’t rush the beginning. They honor the start of a conversation with a moment of warmth, and soul. Whether texting a friend or WhatsApping a stranger about a business inquiry, it always begins with, “Hola, buenos días. ¿Cómo estás?” And you feel it, this little breath, this tiny opening that says, I see you before we dive into the to-do’s or questions. It’s not small talk. It’s acknowledgment.
At first, it caught me off guard. I was used to the American way, direct and immediate. But after a while, I started to crave that soft opening. I noticed how different it feels when someone takes that half-second to check in. It slows you down. Grounds you. Reminds you that before the business, the scheduling, the logistics, there’s a person on the other side of the screen.
And here’s the magic: when you slow down to say hello, your whole day begins to shift. You start to live with more presence. You notice more. You soften. You receive others more fully, and in return, you feel received.
So now, even when texting friends in the States, I try to bring a bit of Costa Rica into the conversation: “Hey, how are you?” before I ask the question or make the request. It feels better. More human. More connected. It brings an unspoken heart connection.
In a world where we’re all rushing, multitasking, and checking boxes, maybe what we really need is to remember how to greet each other again. To take a beat. To see each other.
Because sometimes, the most profound impact comes from the smallest acknowledgments, “how are you today?” I know being seen in that small way, that someone took the time to truly say hello, makes me feel good. Really good. Taking just one extra second to stay present, goes a long way.
Pura Vida, always.
Mike Everhart says:
Well said Shauna.
The way it said also.
Really mean it. Not just as an intro but truly be interested.
Thanks for the reminder.