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There was a woman named Maren who often wondered why happiness felt just out of reach. It wasn’t that her life was terrible. In fact, from the outside, everything looked fine. But inside, she carried a quiet heaviness she couldn’t quite explain.
Maren had learned, slowly and carefully, to protect herself.
She didn’t get too excited, just in case things fell apart.
She didn’t hope too much, just in case she was disappointed.
She didn’t let joy in fully, just in case it didn’t stay.
Without realizing it, she had begun blocking her own happiness.
One afternoon, Maren sat in a park watching children laugh as they chased pigeons across the grass. Their joy was loud, unguarded, effortless. She smiled… and then caught herself pulling back, as if joy were something dangerous.
Why am I holding myself back? she wondered.
That question followed her home.
That evening, Maren wrote down all the things she avoided in the name of “being realistic.” She was surprised by the list — opportunities passed up, invitations declined, moments rushed through instead of savored.
None of these things had hurt her.
Fear had simply convinced her they might.
The next day, Maren decided to try something small but brave.
She said yes to a last-minute invitation. She laughed without checking herself. She allowed a moment to be good without questioning how long it would last.
Nothing bad happened.
In fact, something wonderful did, she felt lighter.
Over time, Maren learned that happiness doesn’t require guarantees. It asks for permission. It needs space. It needs us to stop standing in its way.
Blocking happiness doesn’t protect us from pain,
it only keeps us from joy.
And when Maren finally stopped guarding the door so tightly, she realized something beautiful:
Happiness had been waiting patiently all along. 💛
