"I've been getting eight hours of sleep (a minor miracle in and of itself), feeling clear-headed in the mornings, and even managing to end most days with some energy left over. My current projects feel meaningful instead of overwhelming, my son texted from college with a funny meme instead of a crisis, and fall has settled into that rare balance between crisp and colorful. Life, at least in this moment, feels steady, and honestly, just a little bit good."
"Almost before the words left my mouth, however, I felt the tug of guilt that whispers, " How dare you be okay right now?" Is it even right for me to admit feeling steady while others are struggling to find their balance? I have dear friends navigating fresh grief and colleagues who are unraveling under the weight of too many demands. Across the world, the headlines are heartbreaking, and yet, here I am sitting in a rare moment of calm,"
A person experiences a rare, steady period marked by sufficient sleep, morning clarity, sustained energy, meaningful projects, supportive family contact, and seasonal calm. That steadiness triggers guilt about feeling okay while others face grief, burnout, and global crises. The person notices a tendency to immediately qualify wellbeing with comparisons to suffering elsewhere. The terms "quiet cracking" and "quiet okayness" contrast unraveling stress with calm steadiness. Quiet okayness is described as neither forced positivity nor exuberant happiness, but a calm state that can coexist with compassion for others without apology.
Read at Psychology Today
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