September and the tyranny of happiness
Estela Adamuz
9/1/20261 min read
September often comes with a fairly clear message:
Come back feeling motivated. Get back into your routines. Set new goals. Start new projects. Make the most of that back-to-routine momentum...
And yet, not everyone comes back feeling that way.
Some people return feeling tired, sad, anxious, or as though they didn’t get enough rest. Some go back to a job they don’t enjoy, a routine that feels heavy, or problems that had simply felt a little further away for a few weeks.
Sometimes, it seems that it isn’t enough just to come back — we’re also expected to come back feeling good.
And that’s where this kind of tyranny of happiness appears: the idea that we should feel motivated, grateful, and full of energy because “a new chapter is beginning.”
But September can also feel exhausting. It can stir things up. It can bring uncertainty.
And that’s okay.
Not every unpleasant emotion is a problem that needs to be fixed straight away. Sometimes, emotions are information. They can tell us about exhaustion, our boundaries, our needs, or parts of our lives that might deserve a closer look.
Maybe going back to our routine doesn’t have to mean going back while pretending that everything is fine.
Sometimes, it can simply mean asking ourselves:
How am I really feeling as I come back?
And what do I need to take a little better care of myself this September?
Because looking after our mental health doesn’t mean feeling good all the time.
It also means being able to recognise when we’re not doing well, without punishing ourselves for it.