This really speaks to me and validates my own feelings. Especially due to my gender as being a womxn, my mom often tells me to smile more, be more happy, talk more, greet them/people more. But with my introverted-ness and mental health, I can’t be the stereotyped cheerful/charismatic womxn. I do have happy/”normal” moments, but I just cannot always be positive and it can become toxic hearing all the time how I should be more happy, etc.

Anyway, thank you for writing this.