Let’s be real for a second…
Looking at everything in a positive light, at all times, can be extremely toxic. When things don’t go your way, denying, minimizing, or invalidating your emotions is not the way to go. In fact, there’s a term for this coping strategy; it’s called “toxic positivity”.
And we know what you’re thinking…. How can being positive be a bad thing? That’s a great question. Let’s discuss how you can recognize toxic positivity patterns within your thoughts. Here are three signs that your constant optimism may be a problem.
1. COMPLETE DISMISSAL OF NEGATIVE FEELINGS
We’re not saying that you should spiral down a dark hole every time a minor inconvenience occurs in your life, but there is a healthy approach to dealing with rough patches. And dismissing all of your negative feelings is not one of them.
2. YOUR ENTIRE FOCUS IS ON THE “BRIGHT SIDE” OF A SITUATION
You can’t only focus on the bright side of things when something upsetting happens to you. There’s a dark side to a situation too that you must come to terms with. Doing so will allow you to learn, accept, and move on.
3. YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR EXPERIENCING YOUR FEELINGS
If you experience any guilt around the fact you are experiencing certain feelings, this could be a sign of toxic positivity.
HOW CAN YOU AVOID THE TOXIC POSITIVITY TRAP?
So, now that we know what toxic positivity may look like, here’s our recommendation for approaching hardship: simply acknowledge that pain is part of the human experience. Life’s not all sunshine and roses and as we said before, crap happens. Simply, let yourself feel those emotions.
Let yourself be upset.
Let yourself be angry.
Let yourself be disappointed.
Let yourself be.
And then, once you’ve let yourself be, you can resort to a healthy amount of positivity to get you back on track.