Does happiness require struggle?

The other day I was reading an amazing article by Mark Manson.

And I think it's true - happiness requires struggle. Everybody wants to be happy, everybody wants something. But not everybody wants to live the struggle to obtain that something.

Some people say, “Chiara, you’re so lucky!” without realising what it really takes.

In 2025, after three surgeries between 2022 and 2024, I consciously chose to step up and take care of myself in the way I wanted. I found my way back after living on “autopilot” for almost two years!

Since January 2025, I’ve been seeing a nutritionist, and since the end of July, I started hitting the gym and lifting weights again, all because I owe it to myself to be healthy at my age. Last November, I also added therapy and meditation, to improve focus and clear thinking.

The latin phrase by the Roman poet Juvenal 'Mens sana in corpore sano' (a healthy mind in a healthy body) really says it all. Taking care of mind and body is fundamental - for me, it’s about honouring my journey, my growth, and the type of human being I want to be in order to be of service to humanity. In the here and now!

Who you are is defined by the values you are willing to struggle for. (Mark Manson)

People want healthy bodies, amazing relationships, fulfilling careers, successful businesses, without paying the price of:

• going to the gym and knowing how nutrition works,

• knowing how relationships work (leading with kindness and generosity),

• having the courage to pursue their dreams/goals (no matter the failures),

• risking without certainty,

• putting in the long hours and the work (the hard work).

Most of the things that I do and chose to do in my life have required a struggle:

• moving abroad (almost 10 years ago, in 2016!),

• starting from scratch (no connections at all),

• speaking and working in another language (not spoken in my family),

• building my career again in a city that I love, London (a tough city with different rules, a city where everybody is there for a reason, so competition is high and it humbles you, while also making you level up being surrounded by talented people in the acting, voice acting and singing industry),

• getting out of my comfort zone daily, into the unknown, and stretching myself every time a bit more.

  
  

So yes, there are struggles. And sacrifice.

Sometimes the word sacrifice is percieved with a negative vibe. But etymologically the word 'sacrifice' comes from the latin words "sacrum" (holy/sacred) + "facere" (to make/to do), meaning literally "to make holy", "to do something sacred,".

When you make a choice, you offer, surrender, something you value for something of higher purpose. And by choosing what you want to do, the sacrifice itself becomes a choice to focus on what you have entirely and intentionally chosen.

And who can best describe this? Italian alpine skier, and Olympic medalist Sofia Goggia:

Fare con sacralità ciò che hai scelto di fare. E nel momento in cui scegli qualcosa, sai a priori che escluderai altro, e quindi tu puoi concentrarti sulla bellezza di quello che hai scelto. (English translation: To do what you have chosen to do with sacredness. The moment you choose something, you know in advance that you will exclude something else, but in that way you can focus on the beauty of what you have chosen). (Sofia Goggia, BSMT Podcast)

I am going to end with these words as food for thought:

What are you willing to struggle for? (Mark Manson)

Thanks for reading, I hope my words helped. I will use this blog to share my experiences (life/work) and insights with you. Hope to talk to you in the comments, feel free to ask me questions below.

Sending love,

Chiara x