Situations That Make People Afraid of Being Happy

The School of Life thoughtfully explains the circumstances in which certain people are afraid of being happy. These particular people may even be subject to self-sabotage, shortchanging themselves in career, social and psychological arenas due to the worry of being seen as a failure or even as a traitor in someone else’s eyes. Yet, as strong as these reactions are, there may be a way to let them convince themselves that it’s okay to be happy even in the most worrisome of times.

There is nothing greedy or stupid about happiness. The ability to take appropriate satisfaction from good times is a profound psychological achievement…Sorrow is obvious; there is always a richness of reasons to despair. Fear is safe as well; if we are waiting for the enemy with sword in hand, we may gain a vital few seconds were the blow to come. But the truly courageous and heroically defiant move …would be to dare to put down our weapon, lessen our preparations for catastrophe, resist the terrors ingrained in us over decades and once in a while believe that, astonishingly, for a time, there might truly be nothing to worry about.