Be Happy

I’m currently wearing a shirt that says “Be Happy”. That got me thinking of how much happiness is emphasized. So much pressure to be happy as if happiness is the best emotion to have, and if you’re not feeling happy there’s something wrong. And how can you get to be happy, because happy is the only acceptable emotion.

Happiness is not the only emotion to have. Oftentimes happiness isn’t even as authentic as some people might have you believe. Some “happy” people aren’t even feeling happy deep down, if they are really honest with themselves. To me, feeling all of the emotions is the most authentic and honest. I try not to fake being happy if that’s not how I’m actually feeling. I want to be an example of not feeling so much pressure to be happy 24/7. That’s just not feasible. Sometimes I feel sad. Sometimes I feel frustrated, angry, all of the emotions. And if I’m feeling sad for a while that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong. It’s normal to feel different emotions, and I don’t really like the pressure society puts on me to get back to happy right away.

Our emotions are also communicating to us too, to examine the whys. If we are feeling sad or angry, that’s information, to explore what’s underneath that. If we are telling ourselves we’re happy when we’re not, we don’t have that opportunity to explore the underneath.

All of our emotions are valuable and deserve to be heard, explored, and honored. I’m grateful I’ve had the courage to go into the deep-seated emotions and explore them. It’s made me such a stronger person for it. It’s made me able to hold more space for others too, to be a listening ear for their deep-seated emotions too. I’m a safe space for people, and I love that about myself.

So, be happy, if that’s how you are authentically feeling. But, feel sad. Feel angry. Feel the feels.