Toxic positivity is real: here's why you should avoid it
We all experience emotions. Some of those emotions are more enjoyable than others. Feeling sad, tired, angry, frustrated, and overwhelmed are some of the emotions most of us try to avoid. But no matter how far we push “negative” emotions down, they usually have a way of bubbling back up. That’s because emotions find a way of expressing themselves whether we like it or not. Not letting our feelings release on their own terms often results in feelings of resentment and passive-aggressiveness. The problem results when we establish a way of thinking in our mind that defines certain emotions as “good” and others as “bad”. While some feelings are more enjoyable to experience, no emotion is truly bad. Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter what occurs, one must remain joyful. This mode of thinking stems from the idea that experiencing “bad” emotions like anger or frustration make someone unpleasant. The reality is that life can be painful. Life will not always deal us the cards we...