I'd rather have happiness than money. People ask for it. Sometimes when I don't have it. I make other people's... — Brenda Fassie

I'd rather have happiness than money. People ask for it. Sometimes when I don't have it. I make other people's problems my problem because they want me to; they ask me to.

Author: Brenda Fassie

Insight: There's something quietly radical about choosing happiness over money, especially when you're someone people constantly lean on. Brenda Fassie is describing something most generous people recognize but rarely admit: the way others' needs can become your default, not because you're obligated, but because they asked. And asking is powerful. When someone brings their problem to you—really brings it, with hope in their voice—saying no feels like abandonment. The trap is that this can drain you completely. You can end up managing everyone else's crises while your own sense of peace dissolves. The math looks good on the surface: you're being helpful, generous, loyal. But happiness isn't a side effect of solving other people's problems; it's usually the casualty. Fassie's point isn't that you should never help. It's that protecting your own well-being isn't selfish—it's actually the foundation that lets you show up for anyone at all. The people who seem to have their lives together aren't necessarily richer or more capable. They're usually just better at knowing which problems belong to them and which ones don't.