What you’re expecting
You expect yourself to do a million things today, and to do them all perfectly, and to never upset anyone, and to make sure everyone loves you, and to do it all without ever feeling stressed or overwhelmed or grumpy or tired.
And you wonder why you're so tired.
Old Happy — our society's flawed definition of happiness and the culture surrounding it — taught us that perfection would lead to happiness, so we dutifully strive for it, day in and day out. It is an impossible expectation that only makes us miserable: not only in the pursuit of it, but in the way that we punish ourselves for failing to achieve it. When the impossible is your goal, nothing you do is ever good enough; this is a mindset that leads to burnout, loneliness, and unhappiness.
Today, I want to encourage you to look at your goals and your plans, and ask yourself: "Where am I expecting perfection, and where could I embrace progress instead?"
You don't have to give up on the things that matter to you. You just need to change the way that you're approaching them. Strive to do your best — and stop striving to be the best.
The Definitive Guide to Happiness
A groundbreaking new approach based on a decade’s worth of research and brought to life with beautiful artwork, New Happy shows you the proven path to happiness.
