Emma had everything on paper—a good job, a loving family, a steady routine. But deep down, she felt stuck, like joy was something she had to earn. One evening, her 10-year-old son asked, “Mum, when do you get to have fun?” That innocent question hit harder than any performance review ever had.

The truth is, many of us are waiting. Waiting for the workload to ease, the kids to grow, the debt to shrink. We delay happiness like it’s a reward, not a right. But here’s the wake-up call: you don’t need permission from the world to be happy—you need it from yourself.

Happiness isn’t about quitting your job or moving to the mountains. It starts with the internal shift: I am allowed to feel good now. No guilt. No delay.

So how do you permit yourself?
Start by noticing the little moments: laughter over dinner, the sun on your face, saying “no” to what drains you.

Give yourself space to feel, want, and receive joy.
Because when you permit yourself to be happy, life stops feeling like survival and starts feeling like yours.

Today, give yourself permission. Happiness is waiting—and it’s yours to claim.