Certainly the most destructive vice that a person can have, more than pride, which is supposedly the number one of the cardinal sins… Is self pity.

Self pity will destroy relationships. It will destroy everything that’s good. 

It will fulfill all the prophecies it makes and leave only itself.

It is so simple to imagine that one is hard done by and that things are unfair. That one is under-appreciated. 

And that if only one had a chance at this or if only one had a chance at that… Things would have gone better.

I almost wanted once to publish a self-help book saying “How to be Happy”

And the people would buy this huge book, and the first page would just say:

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself and you will be happy.”

And that’s what the book would be. And it would be true. 

It sounds like “Oh, that’s so simple.” But, of course, it’s not simple to stop feeling sorry for yourself. It’s bloody hard. 

-Stephen Fry-