“Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”
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Probable attribution
Consistently attributed to Maas's ACOTAR across fan and quote sources; wording exact. Confirmation is only via aggregators (never valid evidence), so the primary book text is unconfirmed; attribution is plausible.
Likely origin: Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015); attributed to that novel.
About this quote
Guilt about small pleasures usually comes from outside rules, not from what you actually need. If you keep apologizing for joy, you give other people's opinion more power than your own choices. Try a simple experiment: schedule one hour this week for something that lights you up and don't explain it. See how quickly the habit of apologizing loses its hold.
When to use it
- At work, I signed up for a weekend pottery class and when a teammate raised an eyebrow I just reminded myself, 'Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy,' and didn't apologize.
- After dinner with family, when everyone asked why I skipped the TV marathon to write, I used the line to stop the guilt and protect that hour for myself.
- When a coach joked about me choosing a social hike over extra gym time, I said the quote and kept the weekend plan because I knew it would recharge me.
- Shopping for a pricier guitar felt indulgent, so when a friend asked if it was worth it I quoted the line to remind myself my happiness matters in the budget too.