What can I do to be happy and stay happy despite being surrounded by mean critical parents?
I've been getting a lot of criticism for not being happy all the time (or for not smiling). It's hard to be happy when you live with critical parents who are always picking on you all the freaking time! Not to mention that my mom is a difficult person to live with! Even when I do leave the house to go out, I work with people who are also depressed or don't smile a lot due to them being introverts. I have reasons to be depressed! I work a at a job that my mom is not proud of (it's a nonprofit organization), I do not have friends that I can hang out with on weekends, I don't get along with the people at my synagogue, I have poor critical thinking skills, I graduated with a BA degree in something useless, and I get yelled at constantly by my mother! Even when I do see cherry people like my brother, it's only in the summer or Christmas break. Even then, that's not enough because once I feel happy from spending time wIth them, someone is always there to squash it down, like my mother. Even wheI am not feeling happy, but also not depressed or mad, I still get yelled at for not smiling! And even when I do smile, my mom complains at how I smile like the Joker! (And she wonders why I don't smile very much).

5562653 Have you considered living on your own? Nothing is preventing you from surrounding yourself with cheerful and supporting people, you know? Open up one of many dating sites. There are people just dying to meet you. All you have to do is make a first step.

5562653 first suggestion. Gtfo, your mother ain't doing shit for ya, ya have the option to distance yourself, take it.
Second, happiness is hurd. .-. it takes tike and effort to acquire. Don't worry if ya can't find it now, just keep looking for it. Find things that make you happy, hobbies. Nonprofit work is meaningful, is it not? You're helping others, right? That's something to be proud of.
Friends != Hapiness, I have found hapiness for brief moments, and it's not usually around friends, although they can help the day to day. Don't force it, find people that are similar to you and get to know them and ya might find some freinds
For me happiness is about my significant other. Her and music, listening, playing, just experience the beauty of rhythm.
Also, never be afraid to act how ya feel. It's okay to wear a mask around your mother. But it doesn't help you. Not that the otherwise would. Wearing a mask tho.. you're hiding the real you, and the real you is who you shoube proud of and be. Not a fake.
Honestly your mother sounds like a right bitch.

5562653

If you don't want to leave your mother, then perhaps try and not be around her as much. See if you can find some people who are more cheerful