What is toxic positivity?
In the past year, the phenomenon of toxic positivity has received more and more attention.
When these difficult emotions arise, you completely push them down, insisting that you must stay positive.
You may be upset with yourself for even feeling these emotions in the first place.
As Spinelli notes, we can do this to others, too.
But looks are deceiving, and everyone handles things in their own way.
Avoid comparing yourself to others, and vice versa, others to you.
“Everything happens for a reason.”
Why it’s a bad thing.
It’s OK to feel sad, angry, hurt, disappointed, or any other more difficult emotion.
The key, Spinelli notes, is to give yourself grace through compassion.
How to respond to toxic positivity.
“You have a right to your emotions,” she emphasizes.
Sit with an acknowledge them, rather than trying to shrug them off.
Avoiding it in the future.
or “You have so much to be grateful for!”
“This usually leads to them feeling shamed and misunderstood,” she adds.
The bottom line.
At the end of the day, it’s really all about balance.
