The Unspoken Pressure to Smile
The tiredness of being constantly asked to smile by people who don’t know how to smile at themselves first.
IN THE HEART OF A VIBRANT CITY, WHERE SKYSCRAPERS TOUCH THE HEAVENS AND THE STREETS ARE ALIVE WITH THE HUM OF LIFE, I OFTEN FIND MYSELF ADRIFT IN A SEA OF THOUGHTS. The world whirls around me, a dance of colors and sounds, but sometimes, I feel like a silent observer, standing still amidst the chaos.
Every corner I turn, every face I meet, there’s this unspoken demand: to beam, to exude joy, to be this beacon of positivity. But what if, just beneath my skin, there’s a storm brewing? What if my spirit, though resilient, is wrestling with shadows that aren’t always visible to the naked eye?
There are days when I just want to disappear; moments when my desire is to look up and flow, depart, fade into the smoke of cars. This points to my desire for cremation. I wish to enter the flames of oblivion and turn into ashes. Goodbye, goodbye! Have you ever had a moment to reflect on the fact that, one day, we will be forgotten? Calm. We all go. Believe me: eventually, no one will remember us. And that’s okay. But people don’t want to talk about it…
Society, with its unwritten rules and silent judgments, seems to have sketched an image of how we should present ourselves. It tells us that happiness is the only emotion worthy of public display. But isn’t life a mosaic of feelings? There are days drenched in sunlight, yes, but there are also nights cloaked in mystery and sorrow. And during those nights, it’s perfectly fine if our lips don’t curve into a smile.
I recall my younger days, when the world was a playground, and every dawn brought a new adventure. Everything was a wonder, every challenge an exciting game. But as the sands of time slipped through my fingers, the world revealed its other face. The hurdles grew steeper, heartaches became frequent visitors, and dreams sometimes felt just out of reach. The world, once painted in brilliant hues, started showing its muted, somber shades.
Yet, in the midst of this evolving landscape, society’s chorus remained unchanged: “Stay positive. Hide your pain. Conform.” But why? Why wear a mask that doesn’t reflect the soul behind it?
The insistence that I conform to “normal” was so strong that at one point I sought out a psychologist. And it was incredible when she asked me something very simple:
“Are you here because it bothers you personally or because the people around you want it to bother you?”
Do you notice the difference? That doctor opened my mind to the fact that I was fine, convinced of who I was, but immersed in a social environment that did not accept this way of seeing the world. And she left me a clear explanation:
“The discomfort that a person feels towards others is not related to others, but rather to the person who is uncomfortable.”
We all tread unique paths. We all face storms that test our mettle. And it’s okay to admit when we’re weary. It’s okay to shed tears, to feel the weight of the world, to yearn for a comforting embrace. Because it’s during these trying times that we unearth our deepest strengths, that we learn to cherish our flaws and rise, reborn.
Learning this is transformative.
The next time the world expects you to wear that familiar grin, remember that authenticity is a gift. It’s okay to wear your heart on your sleeve. It’s okay to be vulnerable. And yes, it’s okay not to smile occasionally. For behind each expression, there lies a tale, a journey, and a heart yearning for genuine connection and understanding.
