You Don’t Have to Be Happy All the Time

You don’t have to be okay today.
You don’t have to be cheerful or energetic or full of sunshine. You don’t even have to pretend.

Some days are just heavy. And while it’s tempting to force a smile or push yourself through, what if you just allowed yourself to be? What if you let the sadness come without judgment? What if you stopped trying to “snap out of it” and instead asked yourself, What do I need right now?

We live in a world that rewards performance. Even when we’re struggling, we feel the need to look polished. To act unbothered. To say “I’m fine” with a convincing enough tone. But underneath that, there’s often a tired version of you begging to be seen.

Being strong does not mean bottling things up. Being grateful does not mean you cannot cry.
Joy and sadness can live in the same heart. And it is okay if today, joy takes a backseat.

Give yourself the room to feel, without rushing to fix it. Sit in the quiet. Let the tears fall if they need to. Wrap yourself in soft things. Put on music that holds you gently. Say no to what drains you. Say yes to slowness.

You don’t have to be happy all the time. You just have to keep showing up, in whatever way you can. That is enough. And so are you.

With all my love,
Olamide from MANI