Somewhere along the climb, you signed a silent contract with yourself. It read: “I will only rest when it is perfect. I will only enjoy this when it is done.”
But the work is never done. And the horizon keeps moving.
You have equated Misery with Productivity, believing that if you are not suffering, you are not working hard enough. That is the lie of the exhausted.
Happiness is not a reward you unlock at the end of a lifetime of sacrifice. It is the fuel that makes the life sustainable.
Reclaiming your joy does not make you selfish, and it certainly does not make you weak. It makes you Anti-Fragile.
It is safe to set the burden down. It is safe to smile without looking over your shoulder.
The war is over. You can come home now.