Most folks are about as happy as they allow themselves to be...

“Most folks are as happy as they allow themselves to be”

      -Abraham Lincoln

Sometimes, I find myself feeling guilty for being too happy. That is crazy. We should be able to be as happy as we feel. 

When something good happens to us but something bad happens to others, even if it is completely coincidental, we feel guilty for being happy. If we feel happy, we should allow ourselves to be happy; similarly, if we feel sad, we should allow ourselves to be sad. There is nothing healthy or strong about bottling up how we feel. 

Some of the things that people perceive to be weak, such as panic attacks or anxiety disorders, can be symptoms of being strong for too long. Sometimes the symptoms of such disorders manifest themselves because people bottle up their issues and feelings for so long that they manifest themselves in physical symptoms such as fainting, sweating, and heart palpitations. 

Allow yourself to let out your feelings; positive or negative, and to embody exactly how you feel in the moment. Be happy when you feel happy or be sad when you feel sad, and don't feel guilty for expressing yourself.