Should You Hide Your Happiness for the Benefit of Others?
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Hell no.
Somebody I mentor recently asked a question that I’m sure many optimists face while seeking career advancement. And actually, I think many upbeat people wonder about this in life in general.
My mentee wanted to talk honestly about her chipper attitude and how it impacts others at her company.
She asked, “Many people seem to dislike me because I’m always happy and smile a lot. Is it my fault? Should I try to stop?”
My response was blunt. “Hell no.”
No way. Keep laughing, grinning, and being cheerful.
There are billions of downhearted people trudging their way through life. If they dislike you because you are happy, they are jealous that you have positive momentum and want to pull you down to their shitty, miserable levels.
Don’t let them do this. Keep being true to yourself.
Never dull your light just because somebody else can’t appreciate your shine.
Adrian S. Potter — the antisocial extrovert — is an author, engineer, consultant, and public speaker. He writes poetry, short fiction, and articles on various subjects, including creativity, leadership, and personal growth. Adrian is the winner of the 2022 Lumiere Review Prose Award the author of the poetry book Everything Wrong Feels Right (Portage Press). Visit him at http://adrianspotter.com/.
