Where did the expectation that persistent happiness was the norm come from? I fell for this for quite some time: that if I wasn't happy, most of the time, then there was something wrong with me. The desire to be happy all the time can lead to some really dark places. If I'm not happy, and I believe something's wrong with that, might I start relying on and using unhealthy substances to make me happy? Maybe a pint of ice cream will make me happy. Or a cookie. Or a pill. Or a drink. Or a person.
Not happy does not equal unhappy. Not being happy doesn't mean I'm depressed. A good day doesn't need to be a happy day. It can be whatever we want it to be. For me, it means I get to be of service, and not hurt anybody. When I do those two things, that's a good day. And if something makes me happy, that's great, but my days no longer need to meet the benchmark of a singular feeling. And that makes me feel free.
