“People settle for a level of despair they can tolerate and call it happiness.”
— Soren Kierkegaard
Simplified Meaning:
Sometimes, people accept feeling kind of miserable because it's what they are used to, and they convince themselves that this is as good as it gets. Imagine someone working a stressful job they hate because it pays the bills. They might tell themselves they are happy because the job gives them some security, even though deep down, they are not satisfied. This happens often in relationships, too. A person might stay with a partner who doesn’t treat them well because they’re afraid of being alone. They settle for this life and call it happiness because they're scared of change or think they can’t do better. If you're feeling like this, it's important to look at your situation honestly and think about what can really make you happy, even if it means making tough changes.
