Being happy in this world is a brave thing to do.
Came across this quote by the LGBTQ activist, Dan Savage, that said âDuring the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for.â
Given the world we live in where rents are constantly increasing, things you need are sometimes unaffordable and people you want around are spread out across the world pursuing their own idea of success, itâs more than reasonable to not be happy. Itâs designed that way, intentional or not.
And it helps the larger system as well. Unhappy people look for things outside - they buy more things they donât really need. They stick to jobs they donât want because it helps them survive. It helps them feel that they are doing something right. It helps them feel protected.
Over the years I had come across this quote that said âHappiness is createdâ and thought âWhat a weird thing to say⊠how can I be happy when 60% of salary goes as rent in a tiny houseâ. But that's what I particularly love about this quote. It goes a step beyond and asks you to be happy in the middle of the muck. Intentionally. Joy is resistance.
Happy people are harder to exploit. They are dangerous.
Be happy when you have no reason to be.
Came across this quote by the LGBTQ activist, Dan Savage, that said âDuring the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for.â
Given the world we live in where rents are constantly increasing, things you need are sometimes unaffordable and people you want around are spread out across the world pursuing their own idea of success, itâs more than reasonable to not be happy. Itâs designed that way, intentional or not.
And it helps the larger system as well. Unhappy people look for things outside - they buy more things they donât really need. They stick to jobs they donât want because it helps them survive. It helps them feel that they are doing something right. It helps them feel protected.
Over the years I had come across this quote that said âHappiness is createdâ and thought âWhat a weird thing to say⊠how can I be happy when 60% of salary goes as rent in a tiny houseâ. But that's what I particularly love about this quote. It goes a step beyond and asks you to be happy in the middle of the muck. Intentionally. Joy is resistance.
Happy people are harder to exploit. They are dangerous.
Be happy when you have no reason to be.