meh, it's just surface level talk with no substance. the person who asks me how my day is usually doesn't give a rats ass about how I'm feeling, and I don't care either. maybe it's just my cynical retail soul but after the first hundred times I'm asked that question I just don't like hearing it
I don't care if it's small talk. But being asked about your day with genuine intrest. That's good. Especially after having done something exciting the past weeks.
That's why you just say, "good thanks," and NEVER EVER ask them in return.
Many people ask how someone's day is because they actually want to tell you about their day. And the normal thing is for people to return the question. So you get trapped into listening to someone complain about their day because you retuned their small talk.
Instead, just don't engage in the small talk by answering but not asking in return.
A lot of people get pretty put off by it, but they're either not able to articulate why, or they realize that "but you didn't ask me about my day!" is a stupid thing to be mad about. So the end result is those people find a different victim who's attention they can consume, and I am spared.
Honest question then: how would someone approach you and express interest in your well-being while attempting to bond or develop some common ground just a teeny bit? Sports? Weather? TV? Keep it at "hello"? Thank you.