I'm 37 and last week my daughter asked if I was happy and I said yes automatically - but the real answer is I don't think I've felt genuine happiness since my late twenties and I've just gotten extraordinarily skilled at performing contentment for people who need me to be okay - Silicon Canals

"There's a concept in psychology called 'smiling depression' or high-functioning depression. It describes a state where you feel low inside but tell others you feel fine, and you look fine too."

"What I've noticed in myself isn't a dramatic inner collapse. It's quieter than that. It's just the absence of something. The absence of genuine aliveness."

At 37, a person reflects on their life, which appears successful by external standards, yet feels a lack of genuine happiness. Despite having a business, a loving family, and a vibrant city life, they realize they have become adept at performing contentment for others. This leads to a recognition of 'smiling depression,' where one feels low internally while maintaining a facade of normalcy. The absence of true aliveness is noted, highlighting a disconnect between outward appearances and inner feelings.

Read at Silicon Canals