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Happiness Quote by Shauna Niequist

“I believed that work would save me, make me happy, solve my problems; that if I absolutely wore myself out, happiness would be waiting for me on the other side of all that work. But it wasn't. On the other side was just more work. More expectations, more responsibility. I'd trained a whole group…” quote by Shauna Niequist
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““I believed that work would save me, make me happy, solve my problems; that if I absolutely wore myself out, happiness would be waiting for me on the other side of all that work. But it wasn't. On the other side was just more work. More expectations, more responsibility. I'd trained a whole group of people to know that I would never say no, I would never say "this is too much". I would never ask for more time or space, I would never bow out. And so they kept asking, and I was everyone's responsible girl.””

Shauna Niequist

About This Quote

Source Interview: Podcast "The Longest Way Home", 2022

The speaker expected work to bring happiness and relief, but it only led to endless demands and no personal boundaries.

In simple terms: Work didn't bring happiness; it created more pressure.

Key Takeaway

Set limits and prioritize self‑care.

Themes

burnout boundaries responsibility

Mood

tired reflective

Type

advice personal growth

When to use this quote

  • career
  • family
  • personal health
  • team management

Key Concepts

work culture self‑care expectations

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you say no without feeling guilty?
  • What personal limits will you set?
A Different Perspective

Boundaries may be hard to enforce in demanding environments.

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