--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop…" description: "\"We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're supposed to be happy.\" — Garrison Keillor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg" --- # We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're… ![“We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're supposed to be happy.” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg) > “We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're supposed to be happy.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that happiness is often pursued based on societal expectations, and that true contentment may come from releasing those assumptions. **In simple terms:** Happiness improves when we stop assuming we must be happy. Key Takeaway Release expectations to find genuine happiness. Themes happiness expectations authenticity psychology Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - daily life - mental health - personal relationships - career choices Key Concepts well‑being mindfulness social norms Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are you imposing on yourself? - How can you accept natural emotional fluctuations? A Different Perspective It may downplay genuine emotional struggles that need attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [We must drop the idea that change comes slowly. It does ordinarily - in part because we think it does. Today changes must come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-m-nelson/we-must-drop-the-idea-that-change-comes-slowly-it-does-ordinarily-in/) Donald M. Nelson > [I'm just trying to get rid of all the mystery surrounding me and let people see what I'm thinking. So they can understand me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/i-m-just-trying-to-get-rid-of-all-the-mystery-surrounding-me-and-let/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [The truth is a lot easier to see when you stop assuming you already have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-norton/the-truth-is-a-lot-easier-to-see-when-you-stop-assuming-you-already/) [Mike Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-norton/) > [We must stop assuming that a thing which has never been done before probably cannot be done at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-m-nelson/we-must-stop-assuming-that-a-thing-which-has-never-been-done-before/) Donald M. Nelson > [If more women are in leadership roles, we'll stop assuming they shouldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/if-more-women-are-in-leadership-roles-we-ll-stop-assuming-they/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Readers need to stop assuming characters are white if race isn't explicitly defined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/readers-need-to-stop-assuming-characters-are-white-if-race-isn-t/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“When you assume you make a you-know-what out of U and me. Yep, so let's stop assuming so much. We are often quick to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leonhardt/when-you-assume-you-make-a-you-know-what-out-of-u-and-me-yep-so-let-s/) [David Leonhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leonhardt/) > [First of all, all fear is 99% assumption-based. In fact, almost ALL worries in life would disappear if we just stop assuming things. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hrithik-roshan/first-of-all-all-fear-is-99-assumption-based-in-fact-almost-all/) [Hrithik Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hrithik-roshan/) > [The people that you think are supposed to be there for you and be happy for you - instead they want to tear you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-alsina/the-people-that-you-think-are-supposed-to-be-there-for-you-and-be/) [August Alsina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-alsina/) > [“-Do you think artists are supposed to be happy? -Everyone is supposed to be. -I said staunchly,and I knew that I was indeed an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/do-you-think-artists-are-supposed-to-be-happy-everyone-is-supposed-to/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [“I'd say, "But I'm not happy." And she'd say, "Where is it written that you're supposed to be happy all the time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-boorstein/i-d-say-but-i-m-not-happy-and-she-d-say-where-is-it-written-that-you/) [Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-boorstein/) > [“Do you realize what you accomplished today? You're supposed to be happy right now.” “I am. That's the most fucked-up part,” he said. “I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/do-you-realize-what-you-accomplished-today-you-re-supposed-to-be/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [Am I supposed to be happy? With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/am-i-supposed-to-be-happy-with-all-i-ever-wanted-it-comes-with-a-price/) ProudLesbian > [If you love me, let me go. And I will try to come back to you. But if I don't then I found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-love-me-let-me-go-and-i-will-try-to-come-back-to-you-but-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She was supposed to be happy... why couldn't she just be happy for a few moments? Why couldn't she just forget everything bad going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-carola/she-was-supposed-to-be-happy-why-couldn-t-she-just-be-happy-for-a-few/) [Courtney Carola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-carola/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see, say, thirty cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is-what-s-here-on-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) [Explore all 304 Garrison Keillor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're supposed to be happy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrison Keillor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-assuming-we-re-supposed-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-assuming-we-re-supposed-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/garrison-keillor-1037_assuming_we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-as_2189047.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We'd all be alot happier if we'd stop assuming we're supposed to be happy.” — Garrison Keillor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Garrison Keillor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We'd all be alot happier if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-assuming-we-re-supposed-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/we-d-all-be-alot-happier-if-we-d-stop-assuming-we-re-supposed-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```