There are moments in life that we feel shouldn’t be a big deal, but they are.
Small, almost insignificant things that spark something real in you. The kind of joy you can’t logically explain. The kind that doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else.
And yet, those are often the moments people question the most.
People don’t always understand what brings you joy. And when they don’t understand it, they tend to downplay it.
“That’s not a big deal.”
“Why are you so excited?”
“You’re doing too much.”
These reactions seem harmless. Casual, even. But they reveal something deeper: most people evaluate other people’s joy using their own scale.
What brings one person joy will not always translate to another.
For some, it’s something as simple as enjoying a specific snack at a particular time of day. For others, it’s taking long walks with no destination in mind. It could be the way someone chooses to speak about themselves, the things they find funny or the effort they put into doing things for others.
From the outside, these things might be excessive, insignificant or even strange.
But they are simple sources of joy.
There’s a quiet pressure to live within what’s considered “normal.”
Be excited, but not too excited.
Be kind, but don't do too much.
Enjoy life, but only the things that make sense to other people.
People assume their scale of importance is universal. If something doesn’t move them, they assume it shouldn’t move you either.
But that assumption is flawed.
Joy is not objective. It’s deeply personal.
"Obiaa nnyɛ deɛ ne ho bɛtɔ no.”
Let people do what pleases them.
For me, it’s a simple way to live.
It’s about giving people the space to choose what brings them happiness, even if it looks strange from the outside. It’s about removing the pressure to constantly explain yourself or fit into someone else’s expectations. It’s about allowing joy to exist in small, personal ways, without embarrassment.
Of course, there’s a boundary.
Not everything that makes you happy is justified.
If it harms others, if it makes people feel small, if it comes at someone else’s expense, then it’s not the kind of happiness worth defending.
But most of the things I'm talking about here are harmless.
And yet people suppress them anyway. That suppression has a cost.
When you constantly filter your joy through other people’s approval, you start to shrink. You become less expressive. Over time, life starts to feel flat. That’s how people end up feeling disconnected, even when nothing is technically wrong.
I’ll be honest. I’ve done it too.
I’ve looked at someone and thought, “Why are they like this?”, "Why are they doing that?", "Why are they so excited about that?"
But I’ve learned to pause and ask a better question:
What if this is what brings them joy?
It creates space for people to be fully themselves without needing to explain or justify the things that make their lives feel a little more alive.
People will always have opinions. Some will understand you. Some won’t. That’s fine.
You’re not living your life to be understood by everyone. You’re living it to experience it fully.
So do what makes you happy. And let others do the same.