There is a hidden assumption that governs almost every decision you make. It’s the belief that if you just work hard enough, buy enough nice things, and organize your life perfectly enough, you will eventually reach a state of permanent, frictionless happiness.
We imagine this state as a sunny plateau where our anxiety evaporates, our insecurities vanish, and we never have to deal with an awkward conversation or a rejected credit card ever again. We treat pain—whether it’s physical discomfort, emotional heartbreak, or existential angst—as an intruder. We see it as a foreign invader that has breached the walls of our lives, something to be eradicated immediately.
